Instrumentation Engineer/Mechanical Engineer

University of Wisconsin Madison•Madison, WI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Ice Drilling Program (IDP) group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison supports ice drilling and subglacial rock coring development and operations for the NSF. IDP is a small team, primarily composed of engineers, that conceptualizes, designs, tests, and operates drilling equipment in glacial environments worldwide. The selected candidate will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, and technicians to develop state-of-the-art ice coring and drilling systems for polar regions. Responsibilities include defining engineering requirements, system design, component procurement, part fabrication, and system assembly, testing, and operational use. This involves conducting trade studies and leading the development of mechanical, electrical, electro-mechanical, and thermal subsystems. The role may also include leading test programs, developing procedures, creating unique test hardware, analyzing test data, and producing test reports. Additionally, the position will support the maintenance, problem resolution, and upgrade activities for existing ice drilling systems and maintain communication with internal and external partners. This position is being posted at the Instrumentation Engineer I, II, and III levels, with level and pay commensurate with experience. The position is eligible for 40% remote work, requiring an approved flexible work arrangement (FWA) agreement, high-speed internet, and a university-provided computer. Transportation between home and work is at the employee's expense.

Requirements

Experience in mechanical system design.
Experience in the operation, analysis and deployment of mechanical and electromechanical systems.
Computer Aided Design - skill in using or the ability to quickly learn the use of SolidWorks.
Experience with machine assembly, including troubleshooting and fabrication of fixtures or tooling.
Skill in using Microsoft Office products - Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
Strong verbal communication skills with the ability to make presentations to groups with various levels of expertise in the subject.

Nice To Haves

Experience in supporting mechanical systems in the field; i.e. commissioning mechanical and electromechanical systems, troubleshooting equipment, adjusting/repairing systems.
Experience conducting Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) studies on mechanical components and systems.
Knowledge and experience in fabrication and shop practices.
Working knowledge and experience with control systems, electromechanical devices, and electronics; any familiarity with embedded programming is a plus.
Familiarity with work practices that support electrical safety, such as Lockout/Tagout.
Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder training.

Responsibilities

Provides expertise and experience in an area of discipline.
Uses universally accepted computer design applications for modeling, analysis of design, and fabrication efforts.
Helps prepare reports of design status and/or technical research for professional organizations, government/sponsor review boards, and design reviews.
Supports efforts to identify problems, issues, and needs, and provides solution options in support of decision-making.
Supports efforts to coordinate project activities.
Conceptualizes, specifies, designs, constructs, integrates, operates, tests, calibrates, documents, and improves instrumentation systems.
Periodically deploys to remote camps in the polar regions for 1-3 month periods to provide technical support and field operation of equipment.
Supports research and development of new processes, techniques, and approaches for use in advanced instrumentation systems.