Associate Mechanical Engineer

About the role

The Janelia Experimental Technology group (jET) is seeking highly talented and ambitious college grads to join our team and to be a part of the unique Janelia experience. We have recently established the jET internship (jETi) program with a current focus on recruiting recent Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering as well as college graduates with an advanced degree in Optics or AMO physics for intensive, renewable 1-year contracts during which you will get hands-on experience working on jET projects at the interface of engineering, neuroscience, cell biology, and optical imaging research.

Initially, jET interns will be dedicated to learning engineering tools and best practices by assisting staff engineers and scientists in ongoing work. Later on, jET interns will be expected to work independently on projects appropriate for a junior member of the jET team. At the end of the term, successful jETis will be given an opportunity to renew their contracts for an additional year with the limit of up to 2 renewals (3 years maximum tenure). If conditions in future allow for hiring additional jET full-time staff, proven-qualified jET interns would be excellent candidates for such positions.

We seek people who are passionate about contributing to scientific discovery, can generate great ideas and deliver solutions based on them, and who are excited to work in Janelia’s highly collaborative and unique environment.

What we provide

• The opportunity to rapidly impact scientific research, on a timescale not often seen in industry.
• A state of the art engineering and prototype fabrication lab to bring designs from concept to reality.
• Mentorship and collaboration with senior engineers and scientists in the group and across the campus.
• Work on a wide range and variety of projects, from tiny one-off parts hard to see with the naked eye, to large equipment, or projects where thousands of components are needed.
• An inclusive group culture of continuous learning and improvement to deliver the best technical solutions possible.
• Competitive compensation, with comprehensive health and welfare benefits.

What you’ll do

• Design, develop, assemble, integrate, test, debug, modify, and optimize simple to complex systems, instruments, and one-of-a-kind prototype component parts for research.
• Study project objectives, priorities, and requirements to identify and establish performance requirements and test methods for developed systems. Translate requirements into engineering concepts, designs and plans.
• Estimate upfront costs, and then track time and costs to enable proper charges to customers.
• Document your designs to ensure accurate technical records are produced.
• Work collaboratively with internal research customers and a multi-disciplinary jET team.
• Communicate all activities within assigned projects with the research customer and jET management.
• Recommend actions for professional self-development.

What you bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
• Strong technical aptitude in mechanical engineering principles and practice.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including both verbal and written communication.
• Ability to translate varied and potentially ambiguous customer requests, which will be of a scientific as well as technical nature, into project requirements and design options.
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant fabrication, metrology and testing techniques, and a willingness to personally build and improve upon one’s designs.
• Hands-on experience with mechanical design, fabrication, and implementation of instrumentation and/or automation for the life science industry or natural science research is a plus.
• Ability to describe and explain design concepts, theory of operation, usage and instructions for developed designs.
• Ability to create 3D cad models of mechanical parts and assemblies, as well as create necessary fabrication documentation using software packages such as Autodesk Inventor.
• Ability to work concurrently on multiple projects for various research groups and prioritize tasks so that work is performed efficiently.

We encourage qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States to apply. Please note we are not able to sponsor a visa for this position at this time.

Physical Requirements

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard or hand tools; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about workspace. The position requires mobility, including the ability to move materials weighing up to 30 pounds.

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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