Sr. Mechanical Engineer

Senior Mechanical Engineer, Advanced Engineering

Based in North Kingstown, RI, the Senior Mechanical Engineer, Advanced Engineering turns ambiguous, high-potential ideas and technologies into real, testable electro-mechanical prototypes, systems, Proof of Concepts, and Proof of Technologies. This role bridges early-stage innovation and standard NPD by rapidly advancing concepts from approximately TRL2 to TRL6, de-risking the critical unknowns needed for credible Phase 0 business case inclusion and decisions.

Role archetype:
Creative Innovation Engineer / "Mac Gyver-minded" mechanical engineer. A practical inventor who combines CAD, bench tools, cannibalized product hardware, quick-turn fabrication, AI-enabled workflows, and cross-functional collaboration to make ideas "real… real fast."

Major Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Translate opportunity spaces, user insights, technical hypotheses, and early concepts into tangible models, rigs, breadboards, subsystems, and functional prototypes that accelerate speed to learning.
• Develop mechanical concepts for electro-mechanical and IoT-enabled pool equipment, including enclosures, mechanisms, fluid paths, sensors, actuators, thermal strategies, connectivity elements, cable routing, and manufacturable architectures.
• Choose the fastest credible prototyping method for the learning objective, including CAD, 3D printing, bench fabrication, machining, quick-turn suppliers, off-the-shelf components, test fixtures, and harvesting or cannibalizing parts from existing products.
• Use CAD appropriately for the phase of work: fast, fit-for-purpose early models when learning is the goal; robust parametric models, drawings, tolerance strategies, BOM inputs, and production documentation when concepts mature.
• Collaborate shoulder-to-shoulder with EE, firmware/software, IoT, test, industrial design, UX, product, manufacturing, sourcing, quality, and external partners to integrate mechanical, electrical, sensing, connectivity, and control elements into working systems.
• Define and run practical experiments to evaluate feasibility, usability, performance, reliability, serviceability, cost, and user experience; summarize learnings, risks, and recommendations so teams can make clear decisions quickly.
• Observe users, installers, service technicians, manufacturing partners, and field environments to identify unmet needs, human factors considerations, usability friction, and real-world constraints.
• Support transition from advanced engineering to NPD by converting validated prototypes into scalable product architectures, requirements, specifications, supplier direction, and development plans.

Requirements:

• 8+ years of mechanical engineering experience developing medium- to high-volume consumer, commercial, industrial, connected, or electro-mechanical products; pool, water treatment, automation, sensing, fluid handling, or outdoor equipment experience preferred.
• Strong mechanical fundamentals across mechanisms, enclosures, materials, sealing, thermal considerations, fluid handling, structural design, manufacturability, reliability, serviceability, and cost/performance tradeoffs.
• Demonstrated hands-on prototype development, experiment design, teardown, concept validation, and rapid iteration in ambiguous or early-stage environments.
• High proficiency with 3D CAD, preferably Solid Works, plus broad familiarity with prototyping/fabrication methods including additive manufacturing, machining, bench fabrication, fixture design, quick-turn suppliers, and modification of existing hardware.
• Experience integrating electronics into mechanical systems, including electronics packaging, sensor/actuator mounting, thermal management, cable routing, sealing, strain relief, and service access.
• Ability to collaborate with electrical and firmware/software teams on connected or IoT-enabled prototypes; mechatronics, controls, robotics, automation, sensor integration, or light programming experience strongly preferred.
• Ability to perform engineering calculations, tolerance analysis, test planning, and practical data analysis; experience with structural, thermal, and/or flow simulation preferred; CFD a plus.
• Working knowledge of DFMEA/PFMEA, Voice of Customer, observational research/ethnography/dynamic interviews, human factors, technology readiness, root cause analysis, design verification, reliability testing, configuration management, and engineering change control.
• Familiarity with relevant compliance considerations for pool/spa or electro-mechanical products, such as UL, CSA, NSF, and related design/testing requirements.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including the ability to explain prototype learnings, risks, and decisions to technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications, Education, and Travel

• Experience building functional prototypes that combine mechanical, electrical, firmware, data, app/cloud, or connected-device elements.
• Experience with industrial design partnership, human-centered…