Hardware Technician

About Flagship Pioneering

Flagship Pioneering is a platform innovation company that invents and builds companies that change the world. We bring together scientific minds, entrepreneurial company builders, and capital to enable courageous leaps in human health, sustainability, and beyond, accelerating scientific progress across disease detection, treatment, agriculture, and AI‑driven technologies.

Our footprint includes founding companies that have vaccinated billions against COVID‑19, cured intractable diseases, improved human health, preempted illness, and fed the world through resilient agriculture. Flagship has been recognized on Fortune’s "Change the World" list and Fast Company’s "World’s Most Innovative Companies" list.

We are seeking a hands‑on Hardware Technician to join our small engineering team. This critical build and fabrication role supports design, assembly, and testing of advanced systems for both our aerial platform and ground‑based hardware. You will work on precision mechanical and kinetic engineering challenges—from custom airframe structures and high‑performance subsystem integration to specialized ground equipment and deployment infrastructure. Ideally, you move fluidly between fabrication work (CNC machining, 3D printing, composite lay‑up, wiring) and systems‑level assembly, maintaining exacting standards in a fast‑moving, prototype‑heavy environment, enabling rapid iteration and field‑ready hardware.

• Assemble, wire, and test mechanical design structures and subsystems, including composite and foam structures.
• Fabricate and test custom mechanical components using CNC machining, 3D printing (FDM and SLA), hand tooling, and composite lay‑up techniques, working from engineering drawings and CAD files (STEP, DXF, STL).
• Support R&D of mechanical and kinetic designs of custom fixtures, actuation mechanisms, and specialized equipment enclosures.
• Build and assemble wiring harnesses, power distribution systems, low‑voltage subsystems, and electronic subassemblies.
• Troubleshoot mechanical failures and fabrication issues, making real‑time decisions to resolve problems and maintain build schedules.
• Maintain shop equipment, manage parts inventory, and track component status to ensure smooth build workflows and on‑time hardware availability.
• Inspect finished assemblies for quality, dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and compliance with engineering specifications using precision measurement tools (calipers, micrometers, gauges, CMM as needed).
• Collaborate with engineering leads to optimize designs for manufacturability, cost, and field reliability; provide feedback on feasibility and manufacturing constraints early in the design cycle.
• Document fabrication processes, maintain build logs, and capture lessons learned to establish repeatable manufacturing procedures and support scaling.
• Support field deployment preparation including equipment packing, pre‑deployment validation testing, and, when needed, traveling to campaign sites to provide on‑site technical support.

• Associate’s degree, vocational/trade certification, or equivalent hands‑on training in mechanical technology, manufacturing technology, electronics, or a closely related discipline; extensive practical experience may substitute for formal credentials.
• 2–5 years of hands‑on fabrication and assembly experience in a manufacturing, prototyping, R&D, or machine shop environment.
• Proficiency with CNC machining operations (setup, feeds and speeds, tool selection, work holding, G‑code basics); experience with manual lathes or mills is a plus.
• Experience with FDM 3D printing (slicing, material selection, print troubleshooting, post‑processing); familiarity with Fusion 360 or similar CAD/CAM software.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T callouts, and assembly documentation; familiarity with precision measurement tools (calipers, micrometers, depth gauges).
• Experience with electronics assembly, soldering, wiring harnesses, and basic electrical troubleshooting.
• Comfortable working in a small, fast‑moving startup environment where priorities shift quickly and…