Mechanical Engineering Expert

Overview

Handshake is looking for experienced Mechanical Engineers to support AI research through flexible, part-time contract work. This is not a traditional engineering role—you'll draw on your hands-on experience in parametric solid modeling, GD&T-fluent drawing interpretation, standards-based mechanical calcs, or FEA validated with hand calcs to evaluate AI-generated content and provide feedback that helps AI reason like a practicing mechanical engineer. This is an ongoing, project-based opportunity that you can take on alongside your current role or studies.

What You'll Do

• Create expert-level mechanical engineering problems and scenarios grounded in real part, assembly, and analysis work that gets manufactured, tested, or approved
• Review AI-generated responses for technical accuracy, practical feasibility, manufacturability, and alignment with industry standards and engineering practice
• Evaluate models, drawings, tolerances, calculations, and FEA results for correctness, defensibility, and whether a reviewer could dimension against them
• Provide clear, structured written feedback to help improve AI model performance
• Complete tasks at your own pace, with no set schedule or minimum-hour requirement

Qualifications

• Industry experience — working mechanical engineer or current undergraduate/graduate student who has personally produced a part, assembly, or analysis that someone else manufactured, tested, or approved from
• Degree — BS, MS, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering field
  • If you are in the process of completing your bachelor's degree, internship experience is required.
• Mechanical expertise — demonstrated depth in one or more of the following areas:
  • Parametric solid modeling built to tolerance
  • GD&T-fluent drawing interpretation
  • Standards-based mechanical design calculations
  • FEA validated against hand calcs

Additional Qualifications:

These are not required but will strengthen your application:

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or comparable professional certification
• Experience applying relevant ASME, ANSI, ISO, or industry-specific design standards
• Proficiency with tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, NX, CATIA, Inventor, Fusion 360, ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran, MATLAB, or comparable modeling and analysis environments
• Experience producing manufacturing-ready drawings or models — for machining, sheet metal, casting, injection molding, or additive processes
• Experience at a manufacturer, product design firm, aerospace/defense contractor, automotive supplier, or as a current MS/PhD student in Mechanical or a closely related engineering discipline

Required for All Applicants:

• Based in the United States
• Strong written communication and attention to detail
• Ability to explain complex mechanical engineering concepts clearly
• Ability to work independently in a remote, asynchronous environment