# Nina Mao > Mechanical Engineer @ Figure AI | UW MechE Alumni Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/ninamao Hello! I'm a mechanical engineer at Figure AI, a humanoid robotics startup. Check out my portfolio for more details and photos of the projects I've worked on! (linked in my featured section and here: https://ninalmao.wixsite.com/portfolio/home) ## Work Experience ### Mechanical Engineer @ Figure Jan 2024 – Present ### Adaptive Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) Researcher @ Boeing Advanced Research Center Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 | Seattle, Washington, United States Design adaptive, soft-contact foam + 3D-printed end effector that holds water column for horizontal + vertical ultrasonic inspection of co-bonded flat/nearly flat surfaces of composite wing spars with defects such as voids and wrinkles Support teammates in designing fixtures/adapters for positional laser and end effectors for scanning variable internal radii ### Arm Subsystem Engineer @ Husky Robotics Jan 2019 – Jan 2024 | Seattle, Washington, United States Design, manufacture, and assemble robust machined + 3D printed parts in assemblies with >300 parts + >500 mates Perform FEA and calculate forces/torques to perform topological optimization Create clear, comprehensible drawing files with GD&T and coordinate tolerancing Collaborate with members in other mechanical, electrical, + software teams, and present work at meetings of ~140 people Projects: Differential Wrist, Adaptive Gripper MkII, Electronics Integration, Claw Hand, & Shoulder MkIII ### Arm Subsystem Lead Engineer @ Husky Robotics Jan 2021 – Jan 2022 | Seattle, Washington, United States Managed team of ~20, delegated tasks + projects, managed deadlines, and supported integration with other subsystems Supported recruiting events which generated >50 applications for Arm Subsystem, and improved member retention by 5x Developed + presented onboarding on CAD, DFM/DFA, + power transmission with 3 other leads to ~80 mechanical members Led team to 2nd place at 2022 + 2023 Canadian International Rover Challenge and perfect score on 2022 Arm Dexterity task ### R&D Hardware Engineering Intern @ Amazon Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics Jan 2023 – Jan 2023 | Westborough, Massachusetts, United States Designed early-stage prototype gantry in SW with pusher end effector for 4-axis cartesian robot to sort unpackaged items Supported software engineering teammates by designing necessary accessories such as adapters, fixtures, covers, + jigs Created aluminum, steel, and nylon parts for waterjet, sheet metal bending, and 3D printing on Markforged + Bambu printers ### Product Design Engineering Intern @ Skydio Jan 2022 – Jan 2022 | San Mateo, California, United States Designed injection molded part in CATIA that prevented folding of hinged antennas in hurricane wind speeds of up to 150 mph, and significantly reduced water ingress through base of antennas with overmolded silicone grommets Updated parts + GD&T drawings with ribs to improve rigidity, and foam + PSA seals and drainage slopes to prevent water ingress Validated concepts with force gauge, wind tunnel, + water ingress testing Coordinated with injection molding vendors to ensure manufacturability and reduced costs by eliminating unnecessary slides ### Project Engineering Intern @ Janicki Industries Jan 2021 – Jan 2021 | Hamilton, Washington, United States Designed fixture in NX to assist with core spoiling/edge fill, primer application, and quality inspections for carbon fiber parts, reducing inspection + primer application time and preventing non-conformance reports with improved ergonomics Established documentation on how to design for and operate 3D printers, implemented company-wide Jira ticket system for 3D print requests, and connected printing focals at all locations, which streamlined request tracking and improved fulfillment times ## Education ### Master of Science - MS in Mechanical Engineering University of Washington ### Bachelor of Science - BS in Mechanical Engineering University of Washington ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nina-mao - Portfolio: https://ninalmao.wixsite.com/portfolio --- Source: https://flows.cv/ninamao JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/ninamao/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13