Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer - Robotics and Automation

Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer – Robotics & Automation About the Role

Seasoned, hands-on senior mechanical engineer for a small Boulder R&D team working across inkjet, robotics, machine vision, and renewable energy programs. You'll drive mechanical and electromechanical design from benchtop proof-of-concept through production hardware, including:

• A renewable energy program advancing next-generation solar cell manufacturing
• A UR-based collaborative palletizing system on a path to CE marking and contract manufacturing
• Continuous-feed inkjet inspection platforms and their expansion across our automation product roadmap

This is a hands-on senior individual-contributor role (typically 8+ years of experience). This is a senior technical contributor role, not a people-management role. You are expected to step in and lead technically from day one. You have personally shipped multiple electromechanical products from concept to production: real hardware in the field, not coursework or prototypes.

• Design EOAT, base frames, electrical and pneumatic systems for robotics and automation
• Design industrial control panels, cable harnesses, and enclosures: component selection, circuit design, panel layout, routing, and grounding
• Scope and ship one-off / bespoke automation builds: purpose-built rigs and process automation where you own the design from ambiguous brief to working hardware
• Build robust optical/imaging fixtures (lighting, motion, alignment) for inline inspection systems
• Generate manufacturing-ready documentation: 3D CAD, electrical schematics, BOMs, assembly/work instructions, test protocols
• Partner with software/controls on integration: motion/vision triggers, sensor interfaces, PLC and robot controller communications
• Contribute to safety and certification work: risk assessment, Performance Level analysis, CE marking, EMC/LVD/RoHS, and US NRTL paths where applicable

• 8+ years of hands-on mechanical/electromechanical design as a senior individual contributor, with a demonstrated track record of delivering multiple complex products from POC through production, as a key contributor, not a peripheral one
• BS in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field; MS a plus
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX, Solidworks, or equivalent) and electrical schematic tools (AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN, or equivalent)
• Sheet metal and machined part design experience: DFM for bending, machining, and assembly; GD&T; experience working directly with fab shops
• Hands‑on with EOAT/gripper design, pneumatics, motion systems, sensors, and control‑cabinet design and wiring
• Experience with machine vision / imaging hardware integration (cameras, lighting, lensing, calibration)
• Strong systems thinking; thrives in a fast‑moving, multi‑project R&D environment

• Scripting / programming aptitude (Python, C++, or similar for automation, tooling, or robotics); comfort in Linux. This role flexes into software when hardware workload is light, so coding ability and a willingness to grow it are valued (not a gate).
• Robotics software: ROS 2 (Move It 2, ROS 2 Control, TF2), UR programming (URCaps, safety configuration, controller integration)
• Bespoke / one‑off automation experience: integrator‑style builds, purpose‑built machines for a single customer or process (vs. high‑volume catalog products)
• Product certification: CE/UKCA, UL/CSA/NRTL, EMC pre‑compliance; EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230
• Advanced vision & compute:
  Stereo/RGB‑D (6
  
  DoF pose, object detection), high‑throughput image processing pipelines, GPU acceleration
• Contract‑manufacturing transfer: documentation packages, quality systems, production handoff
• Precision equipment industry: inkjet, semiconductor, thin‑film, or web/roll‑to‑roll manufacturing environments

• Comfortable navigating loosely‑defined problems and shipping working hardware without a fully spec’d brief
• Embraces shifting priorities; focus moves between programs as priorities shift
• Equally strong working independently and as part of a small team
• Comfortable with AI coding tools and willing to explore emerging AI‑assisted engineering workflows
• You don't need prior printing domain experience; we'll…