Job Title: Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – ASRS (Division Lead)
About the Role
We are developing an Automated Storage & Retrieval System (ASRS) to transform how goods are moved, stored, and fulfilled. As the Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – ASRS Division Lead, you will define the mechanical design vision for the ASRS product line and lead a team of engineers to deliver a robust, scalable, production-ready system.
This is a hands-on leadership role. You will architect mechanisms, review designs and FEA, establish design standards, and collaborate closely with infrastructure, electrical, electronics, and automation teams to bring the product to life.
If you have experience building high-speed special-purpose machines or production/assembly line equipment and are looking to apply that expertise toward developing a best-in-class ASRS system, this role is for you.
Key Responsibilities
1. Technical Leadership & Ownership
- Lead the mechanical design across the ASRS product line, including shuttles, lifts, conveyors, storage interfaces, and fixtures.
- Define mechanical architecture, key mechanisms, and design standards.
- Oversee multiple product and feature teams, integrating their work into a cohesive system.
- Drive design decisions that optimize performance, reliability, cost, manufacturability, and serviceability.
2. Mechanism & System Design
- Design mechanisms commonly used in SPMs and production line machines:
- Linkage-based systems
- Belt and pulley drives (timing belts, drive wheels, tensioners)
- Linear motion assemblies (rails, guides, slides)
- Rotary, gripping, clamping, and escapement mechanisms
- High-speed transfer and storage systems
- Design synchronization mechanisms for coordinated motion across multiple axes.
- Develop both active and passive/compliant mechanisms to simplify control and improve reliability.
3. Electromechanical Integration
- Own the mechanical integration of:
- Servo motors and drives (mounting, sizing, coupling, inertia matching)
- Timing belts, pulleys, drive wheels
- Sensors and actuators (proximity, encoders, photoelectric, pneumatics)
- Rail-guided systems, conveyors, transfer stations
- Pneumatic components and systems
- Work closely with electrical and controls teams to ensure seamless integration of cabling, sensors, and actuators into the mechanical assemblies.
4. Engineering Analysis & Validation
- Oversee stress and fatigue analysis, including lifecycle and safety factor estimation.
- Guide and review FEA (static, fatigue, vibration, and dynamic analysis) for critical components.
- Lead design reviews, DFMEA sessions, and risk assessments.
- Plan and supervise mechanical testing: endurance, overload, misalignment tolerance, safety validation, and more.
5. Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Coordinate with infrastructure teams for mounting, frames, support structures, and interface with facility infrastructure.
- Collaborate with electrical and electronics teams on drive sizing, power layouts, and panel integration.
- Align with automation and control teams on motion profiles, sequence coordination, and safety protocols.
- Work with production and manufacturing teams to ensure practical, scalable designs.
- Ensure all subsystems are well-integrated into a unified ASRS solution.
6. Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Pursue opportunities to enhance designs with lower friction, higher throughput, greater reliability, and ease of maintenance.
- Develop design standards, checklists, and best practices.
- Benchmark against leading competitor systems and global best-in-class machinery.
7. Team Building & Mentoring
- Lead and mentor a team of mechanical engineers and drafters.
- Provide structured feedback and align the team with product goals.
- Foster a culture of ownership, curiosity, and continuous improvement in design quality.
Required Qualifications & Experience
Experience:
- 8–12+ years in mechanical design, with deep expertise in:
- Special Purpose Machines (SPM) and/or
- Production line or high-speed automation machinery
- Proven ownership of mechanical design for complex systems from concept through production
- Experience with:
- Servo motors and motion control
- Timing belts, pulley systems, drive wheels
- Conveyors and linear motion components
- Gripping, clamping, fixtures, escapement, and transfer mechanisms
- Safety and interlock mechanisms in automated systems
Technical Skills:
- Strong understanding of component stress, fatigue, life estimation, and safety factors
- FEA experience (direct or supervisory) for structural and dynamic analysis
- Proficiency with PLM/PDM tools and project management
- Experience sizing motors, gearboxes, belts, rails, bearings, etc.
- Familiarity with pneumatic systems (cylinders, valves, clamps)
- Good knowledge of automation sensor and actuator integration
- Understanding of mechanical and motion-control synchronization
Leadership & Collaboration:
- Experience in a lead or principal engineering role, managing multiple product or project teams
- Proven ability to coordinate work across functional areas to deliver cohesive systems
- Strong communication and documentation skills
Preferred / Nice-to-Have
- Experience with ASRS systems, warehousing automation, or material handling equipment
- Knowledge of compliant mechanisms or passive systems for precise motion or force control
- Exposure to rail-guided vehicles, shuttles, lifters, or automated transfer systems
- Experience with DFM/DFA and collaboration with fabrication vendors
- Background in startups or fast-paced product environments
What We’re Looking For (Mindset)
- A detail-oriented engineer with a passion for mechanisms, tolerances, and reliability
- A strategic and hands-on leader who thrives in both design reviews and whiteboard sketch sessions
- A builder with a relentless drive for improvement and a commitment to world-class engineering standards
