Mechanical Designer

We are looking for a Mechanical Systems Designer to be responsible for the design, implementation, and testing of our mechanical systems, ranging from lab prototypes to field-ready robots. A major focus will be creating robotic arms and end-effectors customized to our use case. You will also design material handling systems, UGV components, and help integrate robotic systems.

You will own the mechanical design process. The business and technology leads will support you by providing overall business direction, project objectives, and system-level requirements. You will manage the mechanical scope of work by estimating timelines and costs, setting milestones, defining and executing tasks, ordering parts, proactively identifying risks, and working independently to solve problems or raise them to the team as appropriate.

We have a hybrid work setup. Our Kitchener-Waterloo office is used for in-person meetings and lab-scale robotics work. Our commercial-scale orchard in Simcoe, Ontario is used for full-scale and/or in-field testing. You must be able to travel to the Simcoe site as needed (occasionally during the off-season and more frequently during in-season work). There may also be travel to customer sites.

Work that doesn’t require being on-site can be done from home.

Permanent

• Work as a key member of Finite’s technical team to help guide our system design.
• Develop scope of work plans, time and cost estimates, risk assessments, and other project information as needed to coordinate with the rest of the team.
• Design, prototype, integrate, and test mechanical components and assemblies.
• Collaborate with other technical team members to design systems that integrate specific components like motors, sensors, actuators, electronics, wiring, etc.
• Coordinate with outside companies for design or fabrication services.
• Prepare drawings, BOMs, and other design documentation.
• Specify, source, and order off the shelf components.
• Assist the team in assembling and testing robotic systems in both lab and field environments, and use that feedback to rapidly iterate on mechanical designs.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or equivalent industry experience.
• 5+ years of experience designing mechanical components and assemblies.
• Proven ability to design systems that include mechanisms, actuators, motors, etc.
• Competent using CAD software for 3D part modelling, assemblies, and analysis.
• Hands-on experience fabricating and assembling prototypes, developing and executing test plans (in both a lab setting and deployed environment), troubleshooting and learning from observed issues, and iterating to achieve objectives.
• Experience managing relationships with outside contractors.
• Familiarity with autonomous robots or other software-controlled systems is a plus.
• Experience with specialized end-effector and robotic tool arm design is a plus.