Mechatronics Development Engineer - Pathogen

Description

At the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers, educators and innovators to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas:

• Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology
• Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture
• Climate Change & Managing CO₂
• Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

This is ambitious work – work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real‑world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society. Explore more .org.

Within this ecosystem, the Pathogen Mission exemplifies EIT’s commitment to transformative science. It aims to revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases by leveraging whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based metagenomic and pathogen‑specific analytical tools. This remit includes the development of a decentralised, sample‑to‑answer sequencing diagnostic platform for infectious diseases, enabling rapid and accurate analysis of patient samples without prior assumptions. Supported by Oracle Inc.’s

cloud‑computing scale and security infrastructure, the Pathogen Mission is progressing towards certified diagnostic products for deployment in laboratories, hospitals, and public health organisations worldwide.

At EIT we are seeking an experienced and detail‑orientated Mechatronics Development Engineer to help develop next‑generation diagnostic technology. In this role, you’ll work alongside experts in microfluidics, microbiology, electronics and firmware to design, build and iterate prototype instrumentation for a point‑of‑care device capable of metagenomic sequencing through a microfluidic cartridge interface.

You will take a hands‑on role in developing and refining experimental rigs used to test cartridge‑based modules, integrating actuators, sensors and thermal systems to manipulate fluids at the microscale. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to innovative healthcare technology with real‑world impact.

This role offers scope to shape the mechanical architecture of a novel diagnostic platform and to grow within a multi‑disciplinary environment.

• Design, build, modify and iterate prototype rigs in the laboratory to test and validate cartridge‑based modules.
• Design and implement mechanical integration of actuators, sensors, heaters and fluidic interfaces into experimental platforms.
• Develop and refine docking mechanisms between cartridge and instrument.
• Select and integrate off‑the‑shelf components (motors, syringe pumps, load cells, pressure sensors, heaters, drivers).
• Assemble, wire and commission prototype systems in the lab, including rapid reconfiguration as designs evolve.
• Work closely with electronics and firmware engineers to integrate hardware and control systems.
• Identify mechanical, thermal and integration failure modes through hands‑on troubleshooting and testing.
• Conduct structured experimental testing of rigs and document performance improvements.
• Contribute to improving repeatability, robustness and ease‑of‑use of prototype systems.
• Support design reviews with practical insights from lab testing.
• Maintain clear documentation of rig configurations, changes and experimental results.

• Experience in mechatronics, automation, robotics, scientific instrumentation or related applied engineering fields (industry or advanced academic experience considered).
• Demonstrated experience designing and building physical prototypes (not just CAD design).
• Strong CAD skills (e.g. Solid Works, Fusion 360 or equivalent) with experience taking designs through to physical builds.
• Experience designing and mechanically integrating actuators (e.g. stepper/servo motors, linear drives, syringe systems) into working systems.
• Experience integrating sensors (pressure, force,…