Mechanical Engineer (Lab Automation Robotics)

An early-stage robotics startup is working to speed up life science research by pairing AI with robots that run laboratory instruments the way a skilled person would. It is hiring a mechanical engineer among its first employees to create the hardware that lets those robots automate customer lab protocols from start to finish.

Core duties

Evaluate, prove out and refine mechanical systems through hands-on testing

Turn concepts into CAD models and precise manufacturing drawings

Prototype hardware and cycle through build-and-test rounds

Engineer robotic mechanisms able to work with laboratory biology tools that were designed for people

Cross discipline lines when a problem calls for it, and take on a broad scope

Skills and background

Between one and seven years of hands-on mechanical design after graduation, with hardware you took through to manufacturing

A bachelor’s or master’s in mechatronics, mechanical engineering or a close relative, or comparable hands-on experience

Proficiency in a professional CAD package and a good grasp of manufacturing processes and design for manufacturability

Good mechanical instincts, the ability to troubleshoot and assemble hardware, and a taste for part design and material selection

Familiarity with rapid prototyping methods and a pragmatic, get-to-good-enough mindset

Prior time on a small team or at an early-stage company, and a portfolio with written technical explanations

Helpful extras: PLM or document control, circuit design, motion control, sensors, robot arms, robotics code, or lab automation exposure

Fully on-site in the San Francisco Bay Area, with relocation support available. Visa transfers considered.