Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer – Scientific Instrumentation

Job Description Agilent inspires and supports discoveries that advance quality of life. We provide laboratories worldwide with instruments, services, consumables, applications, and expertise that help customers gain the answers and insights they seek. We are seeking a Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer for the development of advanced scientific instrumentation in Santa Clara. This role combines hands-on engineering depth with broad technical leadership across precision mechanisms, vacuum-compatible assemblies, thermal management, materials selection, packaging, and design for manufacturing and service.

Key Responsibilities Lead mechanical architecture and detailed design for complex scientific instruments, subsystems, prototypes, fixtures, and test hardware from concept through release.

Convert scientific, system, and customer-use requirements into practical mechanical concepts, specifications, tolerance schemes, and verified designs.

Apply advanced understanding of material properties, including thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, stiffness, strength, corrosion resistance, chemical compatibility, out gassing, cleanliness, and long-term stability.

Select materials, finishes, adhesives, fasteners, seals, and manufacturing processes appropriate for laboratory, vacuum, high-voltage, thermal, and contamination-sensitive environments.

Expert at creating and maintaining accurate 3D models, assemblies, drawings, bills of material, and configuration-controlled design documentation using enterprise MCAD and product-lifecycle-management systems.

Perform or direct thermal, structural, tolerance, fit, and stack-up analyses; use engineering calculations and simulation to guide design decisions and reduce technical risk.

Design for manufacturability, assembly, reliability, serviceability, cost, safety, and compliance while balancing instrument performance and schedule.

Plan and execute prototype builds, design verification, root-cause investigations, and corrective actions; document conclusions and recommendations with clear technical evidence. Ability to present designs and corrective actions to team.

Partner with scientists, electrical engineers, software engineers, manufacturing, quality, procurement, suppliers, and service teams to resolve cross-functional integration issues.

Lead technical reviews, communicate risks and tradeoffs to stakeholders, and serve as an escalation point for complex mechanical problems.

Mentor engineers and technicians, establish sound design practices, and contribute reusable methods, standards, and lessons learned across programs.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline, or equivalent practical experience.

At least 8 years of professional mechanical design experience delivering complex hardware products, with demonstrated depth and independence consistent with an Expert-level role.

Demonstrated ability to solve ambiguous, complex, and high-impact design problems with limited direction.

Strong knowledge of engineering materials and their behavior under thermal and mechanical loading, including heat conduction and thermal expansion.

Experience designing equipment for laboratory or scientific use, with attention to cleanliness, chemical exposure, temperature, humidity, vibration, transportation, and normal operating conditions.

Experience producing engineering drawings and applying geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance analysis, and design-release practices.

Experience working with machined, sheet-metal, molded, fabricated, rapid 3D printed part and purchased components and with external suppliers.

Ability to communicate technical decisions clearly and…