Robotics Engineer, Mechatronics & Prototyping - NREC

Carnegie Mellon University•Pittsburgh, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC), engineers and technicians drive breakthroughs that define success. Technical staff collaborate closely with leadership and multidisciplinary teams to design, build, and deploy sophisticated robotic solutions for industrial, commercial, and government sectors. The role operates in the space between academic research and commercial production, building bespoke, intelligent robotic systems from the ground up, focusing on mechanical design, machine vision, computing, and sensor integration. This is a lean, agile robotics applied research team where adaptability, curiosity, and collaboration are highly valued. We are seeking a versatile Mechatronics Engineer with a strong emphasis on mechanical design, rapid prototyping, and hands-on system integration. This role involves owning the lifecycle of designs from brainstorming and modeling to physical assembly, wiring, and testing. The engineer will need to balance speed with engineering rigor, knowing when to create quick proofs-of-concept and when to design for high reliability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Mechatronics, Robotics, or related field) or equivalent experience
1-3 years of engineering experience
Strong proficiency in 3D CAD modeling (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape)
Portfolio of physical things you have actually built
Deep understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and designing for custom fabrication
Practical experience with mechanical assembly, hand tools, and a solid understanding of structural fits and tolerances
Functional knowledge of electronics - comfort reading schematics, soldering, fabricating wiring harnesses, and diagnosing basic electrical faults
Successful pre-employment background check

Nice To Haves

Experience or strong interest in Machine Vision and edge computing integration.
Hands-on experience with sensor protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN) and basic microcontroller/robot programming (C++, Python, ROS).
High Autonomy & Low Ego: Comfortable with ambiguity and willing to research unknown areas.
Calibrated Rigor: Ability to make efficient work of quick tasks without over-engineering, but also knowing when strict mathematical validation is required.
Strong Communicator: Ability to proactively work through the "exploration phase" of a project with teammates and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Lead the mechanical architecture and detailed design of custom robotic systems, specialized end-effectors, and unique enclosures.
Bring concepts to life quickly using 3D printing, CNC machining, laser cutting, and traditional fabrication methods.
Physically assemble mechanical designs and handle the routing of electrical wiring and wire harnesses.
Take a lead role in bring-up and testing, using multimeters, oscilloscopes, etc., to isolate and resolve hardware issues.
Investigate constraints and communicate technical trade-offs for ambiguous, high-level requests before execution.