R&D Engineer 1

Spectacular Labs – SF Bay Area (On-Site; local candidates able to commute daily only)

Spectacular Labs is a fast-moving food safety startup developing next-generation rapid pathogen detection technology. We combine innovative molecular biology, engineering, automation, and AI to help food producers prevent contamination in real time. We’re a small, driven team that values creativity, ownership, and speed.

We’re hiring an early-career R&D Engineer with a mechanical engineering background to join our product development team. This role is ideal for an engineer who wants deep hands-on experience across the full hardware development lifecycle while working closely with experienced engineers in a highly collaborative startup environment.

You will contribute to the design, prototyping, testing, and refinement of the mechanical systems that power our pathogen detection platform. You’ll receive close mentorship, regular design feedback, and exposure to real-world product development from concept through manufacturing.

This is a fully on-site role where the work you do directly powers our commercial pathogen detection platform.

• Support mechanical design of components, subassemblies, and systems using CAD (OnShape strongly preferred)
• Build and test prototypes under guidance from senior engineers
• Assist with experimental testing for performance, reliability, and manufacturability
• Support and implement design-for-manufacturing (DFM) and design-for-assembly (DFA) improvements
• Create and maintain engineering drawings, documentation, and BOMs
• Support prototype builds and early manufacturing runs
• Troubleshoot mechanical and electromechanical issues
• Work closely with biology, software, electrical, and product teams in a fast-paced startup environment
• Learn and apply good engineering practices for regulated product development

• BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field
• 1–3 years of relevant experience
• Hands-on CAD experience with real part and assembly design
• Basic prototyping and experimental testing experience
• Strong desire to learn and work on real hardware systems
• Well-organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable asking questions
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Must be local to the San Francisco Bay Area and able to commute daily

• Experience in a hardware startup, lab instrumentation, robotics, or medical device environment
• Familiarity with machining, sheet metal, or injection-molded part design
• Basic experience working with vendors or manufacturing partners
• Exposure to basic electronics, sensors, or embedded systems
• Familiarity with scripting or programming (e.g., Python or C) for test automation or data collection
• Experience with version control systems for design file management and collaboration

People who:

• Love building, testing, and learning on real hardware
• Are excited to grow rapidly under close technical mentorship
• Take feedback seriously and iterate quickly
• Communicate openly and work well in small, collaborative teams
• Enjoy startup environments and see them as places to learn and grow fast

• Competitive compensation
• Close technical mentorship and hands-on training
• Direct exposure to the full product development lifecycle
• A collaborative, friendly, zero-ego engineering culture
• The opportunity to grow with a mission-driven food safety startup

San Francisco Bay Area — In-Person Only

We are specifically seeking local candidates who can reliably commute daily to our Emeryville/Berkeley-area facility.

Send your resume and a brief note on why this role excites you to:

jobs@spectacularlabs.com