Prototype Mechanical Technician

About Etched

Etched is building AI chips that are hard-coded for individual model architectures. Our first product (Sohu) only supports transformers, but has an order of magnitude more throughput and lower latency than a B200. With Etched ASICs, you can build products that would be impossible with GPUs, like real-time video generation models and extremely deep & parallel chain-of-thought reasoning agents.

Job Summary

As a Prototype Mechanical Technician, you’ll work at the intersection of hardware, mechanics, and infrastructure. Your primary responsibility will be to build, assemble, validate, and iterate on custom server rack hardware and components. You’ll also support a wide range of general mechanical work, including lab equipment maintenance, small-scale fabrication, and inspection. This role is crucial in translating early engineering concepts into reliable, scalable physical systems.

Key responsibilities

• Assemble and install full server rack systems, including compute nodes, networking gear, PDUs, and cooling components

• Build, test, and modify mechanical assemblies such as chassis, brackets, airflow guides, and structural frames

• Execute validation and testing plans (e.g., torque specs, airflow tests, vibration checks)

• Support rapid prototyping using in-house tools or external shops, ensuring tolerances and alignments meet requirements

• Conduct part inspections, maintain lab tools, and organize mechanical inventory

• Create and refine build logs, SOPs, and scalable processes as hardware matures

• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and thermal engineers to support system bring-up and validation

You may be a good fit if you have

• 3+ years hands-on experience as a mechanical technician, assembler, or R&D lab tech

• Strong mechanical aptitude with assembly, tooling, measurement, and fixture experience

• Comfortable working on server racks, electronics enclosures, and subassemblies

• Proficiency in reading mechanical drawings, BOMs, and layout diagrams

• Skilled with core tools: torque wrenches, calipers, drills, hand tools, etc.

• Highly detail-oriented, safety-minded, and organized in lab/shop environments

• Self-starter with a proactive mindset in fast-paced, ambiguous environments

Strong candidates may also have experience with

• Familiarity with rack-scale hardware or data center deployment

• Experience with 3D printing, CNCs, or laser cutters for prototyping

• Understanding of thermal and airflow management principles in electronics hardware

• Exposure to electrical integration and low-voltage component installation

• Prior work supporting R&D or early-stage hardware engineering teams

Base Compensation Range

• $80,000 - $95,000

Benefits

• Full medical, dental, and vision packages, with generous premium coverage

• Housing subsidy of $2,000/month for those living within walking distance of the office

• Daily lunch and dinner in our office

• Relocation support for those moving to San Jose (Santana Row)

How we’re different

Etched believes in the Bitter Lesson. We think most of the progress in the AI field has come from using more FLOPs to train and run models, and the best way to get more FLOPs is to build model-specific hardware. Larger and larger training runs encourage companies to consolidate around fewer model architectures, which creates a market for single-model ASICs.

We are a fully in-person team in San Jose (Santana Row), and greatly value engineering skills. We do not have boundaries between engineering and research, and we expect all of our technical staff to contribute to both as needed.