Kenji Espinoza
Mechanical Engineer · Hardware / Software / AI / Automation
I build high-performance systems.
Industry · Summer 2025 + 2026
SpaceX
Starship Tooling Engineering at Starbase: precision automation and fixture tooling that builds the world's largest rocket, at rate.
Summer 2023 + 2024
Telo Trucks
2024 — Suspension control arms + uprights, frontal crash structure elements.
2023 — 2-axis adjustable steering column, 90° steering gearbox, drag-reducing bodywork ducting.
Racing · 2026 car
CMR 26x
CMR's first integrated EV + Driverless formula car. 60+ engineers, 9 technical subteams.
Formula Hybrid + Electric: 1st Overall, 1st Acceleration, 1st Endurance, 2nd Engineering Design.
FSAE Michigan EV + DV: 4th Overall, 2nd Driverless, judged 2nd place Engineering Design.
Accumulator Lead: two from-scratch 600 V EV batteries + thermal management.
2025 car
CMR 25e
Comprehensive monocoque overhaul: −52% mass, +312% stiffness/mass.
2024 car
CMR 24e
Manufacturing + integration of the 2024 car.
Low Voltage Trunk Lead: electronics enclosure, CNC-machined o-ring seal, IP68.
FIRST Robotics, 2019–2023
JUMP Robotics 8262
Led all electrical + mechanical development on 4 competition robots.
Started and ran a commercial machine shop on the side for funding.
Hardware · 2022
50 mph Electric Skateboard
Li-ion battery pack, helical-gear drivetrain, ESC heatsink. CNC'd and turned in the garage.
2020
Bike-Pallet Vehicle
6 car batteries and a bespoke switch for >1000 A inrush.
2021
Super Crazy Cart
Overpowered Li-ion / brushless powertrain.
2020
Electric Ripstik
2017
900 RPM Nerf Gun
15 darts per second.
2026
3D CNC Wire Bender
Work in progress.
Software · 2026
Self-Upgrading Web Tools
A collection of web-based software tools that upgrade themselves.
2026
Stochasticity
Fully autonomous harness for trading-strategy ideation, backtesting and validation.
2023
Python “Graphics Engine”
Written with zero outside research — forced to find a novel solution.