Robotics Engineer

Mechanical Engineer - MIT Lincoln Lab - Lexington, MA

The Human Health & Performance Systems Group (24) focuses on objective, technology-based, human-centered solutions to measure, model, and modify cognitive and physiological function for performance enhancement, sustainment, or recovery. The Group develops advanced technologies spanning artificial intelligence, sensing, human-machine systems, medical technology, and robotics.

Group 24 is in need of a Robotics Engineer to support the rapid development, integration, and evaluation of robotic and electromechanical systems. The position requires a highly hands-on engineer who can contribute across software, mechanical, electrical, and system integration activities and work effectively on small, multidisciplinary teams executing rapid research and development programs.

• Responsibilities include but not limited to: Work within small, multidisciplinary teams to rapidly transition concepts into functional prototypes and demonstrations.
• Design, prototype, fabricate, integrate, and test robotic hardware and electromechanical systems.
• Develop rapid prototypes using CAD, 3D printing, machining, and other fabrication techniques.
• Integrate software, electronics, sensors, actuators, and mechanical components into complete robotic systems.
• Develop and integrate embedded electronics, sensors, actuators, and microcontroller-based systems.
• Design, develop, and maintain software for robotic and electromechanical systems, with an emphasis on C development.
• Develop test methods and conduct system-level testing and evaluation of robotic prototypes.

Position Scope and Job Functions

• Rapid Prototyping and Mechanical Design: Design mechanical components and assemblies using CAD tools. Fabricate and modify prototype components using 3D printing and other rapid-prototyping and basic fabrication techniques. Rapidly iterate mechanical designs based on laboratory and user testing.
• Electromechanical Systems: Select, characterize, and integrate actuators, motors, encoders, force/torque sensors, position sensors, cameras, and other robotic components. Develop basic electrical interfaces, wiring, power distribution, and supporting electronics required for prototype robotic systems.
• Embedded Systems Development: Design and implement embedded control and data-acquisition systems using microcontrollers and embedded computing platforms such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or similar devices. Develop embedded software and interfaces for sensors, actuators, motors, and other electromechanical components.
• Hardware/Software Integration: Integrate mechanical, electrical, embedded, and software subsystems into functional robotic prototypes. Diagnose and resolve problems spanning multiple engineering disciplines. Develop integration procedures and systematically troubleshoot system-level performance.
• Robotics Software Development: Design, implement, test, and maintain software for robotic and electromechanical systems. Develop real-time and near-real-time applications primarily using C . Integrate software with sensors, actuators, embedded controllers, cameras, and other robotic hardware.
• Testing and Evaluation: Develop and execute test plans to characterize robotic system and subsystem performance. Develop test fixtures, data-collection tools, and analysis methods as necessary. Document system requirements, test procedures, results, limitations, and recommended design improvements.
• Rapid R&D Execution: Work effectively on small, entrepreneurial, multidisciplinary teams developing new robotic capabilities under aggressive schedules. Support rapid design-build-test-learn cycles and demonstrations to sponsors and end users. Be comfortable moving between software development, hardware development, laboratory testing, and field experimentation as program needs evolve.
• Technical Communication: Clearly communicate system designs, technical results, tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations to multidisciplinary technical teams, program leadership, sponsors, and collaborators. Contribute to technical reports, presentations, proposals, and other program documentation

Required Skills

1. Robotics Systems: Demonstrated experience developing robotic, mechatronic, automated, or other complex electromechanical systems. Experience integrating software with physical hardware is essential.
2. Hardware/Software Integration: Demonstrated ability to integrate and troubleshoot systems involving computers, embedded controllers, sensors, actuators, electronics, and mechanical components.
3. Rapid Prototyping: Hands-on experience designing, building, modifying, and testing physical prototypes. Experience with CAD and 3D printing is required. Familiarity with basic machining, fabrication, assembly, and laboratory tools is desirable.
4. Embedded System Development: Experience developing software for microcontrollers or embedded computing platforms. Familiarity with Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or comparable platforms and common hardware communication interfaces and protocols.
5. Electromechanical Components: Experience selecting and integrating actuators, motors, sensors, controllers, and other electromechanical components into functional systems.
6. Engineering Test and Troubleshooting: Demonstrated ability to develop test methods, collect and analyze data, troubleshoot multidisciplinary systems, identify root causes, and implement engineering solutions.
7. Independence and Reliability: Demonstrated ability to independently solve technical problems and deliver functional systems on tight schedules. Ability to work effectively in small teams where individual engineers assume responsibility across multiple technical areas.
8. Communication and Teamwork: Strong written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with software engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, researchers, program managers, sponsors, and end users.

Preferred Skills

1. Experience with computer-vision and image-processing libraries and techniques.
2. Experience with advanced CAD, mechanical design, machining, or fabrication.
3. Experience with C software development. Demonstrated professional experience developing, debugging, and maintaining C software. Strong understanding of software architecture, object-oriented programming, debugging, source control, and software development best practices.
4. Experience designing basic electronics, printed circuit boards, wiring harnesses, or electrical interfaces for prototype systems.
5. Experience designing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for robotic, scientific, or engineering applications.
6. Experience with Python for image processing, computer vision, scientific computing, test automation, or data analysis.
7. Experience with robotics communication interfaces and protocols, including serial communications, CAN, Ethernet, USB, SPI, and I2C.
8. Experience developing real-time or performance-critical software and control systems.
9. Experience developing medical devices, medical robotics, surgical robotics, rehabilitation robotics, or other technologies intended for use in clinical or human-centered environments.
10. Experience developing Windows applications using Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), Windows APIs, or similar technologies.