Mechanical Design Engineer, Machine Design
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Overview
Job Description
What to Expect
Valstad is a manufacturing technology company with a mission to rebuild America's shipbuilding capacity from the ground up. The United States has fallen from the world's leading shipbuilder to producing less than 1% of global commercial output — while demand for domestic naval and commercial vessels continues to surge.
We're closing that gap by developing autonomous robotic fabrication systems that produce precision structural ship components at unprecedented speed, quality, and scale. Our platform combines industrial robotics, machine vision, and adaptive manufacturing to do what decades of manual processes have not — deliver the throughput and consistency the industry needs to build again.
We're building the machine that builds the ships. Our engineering team is pushing the limits of what industrial robots can do in heavy manufacturing — and the machines they operate in are designed and built in-house.
We hold an extremely high bar for mechanical design excellence and are looking for engineers who want to push themselves to the edge of what's possible. You should be comfortable turning bold concepts into production-ready machines, and thrive in an environment where you'll see your designs assembled, debugged, and commissioned firsthand.
What You'll Do
Work independently on stations or large subsystems to conceptualize, design, and detail mechanical components and assemblies using SolidWorks for robotic workcells, end effectors, fixtures, and custom tooling
Work with vendors to select and size all commercial components including pneumatics, motors, gearboxes, linear motion devices, and bearings
Use hand calculations and FEA analysis to validate parts and assemblies for structural integrity, stiffness, and fatigue life
Create complete, clean drawing packages with BOMs and all appropriate assembly and fabrication information
Participate in assembly and debug of systems on our production floor
Travel to customer and partner sites to install and commission your machines
What You'll Bring
4+ years of experience in machine design or automation design
Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to conceptualize and create mechanical designs from scratch
Proficiency in SolidWorks or equivalent solid modeling CAD
Hands-on experience with prototyping, machining, and building what you design
Knowledge of pneumatic, hydraulic, and electromechanical systems
BS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience
Experience with robotic integration, welding automation, or heavy industrial fabrication is a strong plus
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