Biomedical Engineer

As a Biomedical Engineer at Pilgrim, you will be a hands-on member of our engineering team, driving the design, development, and integration of hardware systems that support complex scientific workflows. This is not a theoretical or routine R&D role-you'll own projects end-to-end, exploring design options, prototyping aggressively, and refining systems through iterative testing. You will move fluidly between CAD, prototyping, experimental evaluation, and integration work, supporting a wide range of engineering challenges informed by both engineering principles and practical experience working with biology.

Responsibilities

• Conduct targeted literature review and technical scouting to understand prior approaches, evaluate alternatives, and identify methods that can be improved or integrated.
• Design and develop components and subsystems in CAD (Fusion 360 preferred), including housings, fixtures, flow structures, reagent interfaces, thermal/optical elements, and integration features.
• Prototype parts using 3D printing (FDM/SLA), benchtop machining, laser cutting, bonding, and other rapid fabrication methods; iterate quickly based on test results.
• Develop and integrate fluidic structures such as channels, manifolds, valves, seals, pumps, and reagent-delivery elements for consistent, reliable operation.
• Explore experimental approaches to meet system requirements, comparing designs, materials, and fabrication pathways based on performance, manufacturability, and integration constraints.
• Test hardware subsystems and interfaces-flow behavior, fouling/contamination, sealing, thermal response, mechanical reliability-and refine designs based on observed failure modes.
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers to ensure hardware supports stable workflows, predictable performance, and practical operation.
• Work with electrical and firmware teams to integrate sensors, heaters, pumps, LEDs/photodiodes, actuators, and other instrumentation into cohesive systems.
• Apply DFM/DFA principles, tolerance analysis, and validation testing (fit checks, flow/pressure/thermal behavior) to guide designs toward production intent.
• Maintain disciplined documentation across CAD revisions, design decisions, test data, and integration results.
• Contribute to system-level architecture discussions, proposing mechanical and fluidic strategies informed by research and experimental outcomes.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering with relevant experience, Bioengineering, or a related hands-on engineering field.
• Portfolio or project examples demonstrating CAD design, prototyping, and iterative hardware development.
• Strong proficiency in CAD (Fusion 360 preferred; SolidWorks/Onshape acceptable), including assemblies, tolerancing, and parametric design.
• Hands-on prototyping experience with 3D printing, laser cutting, bonding/sealing methods, tubing/fittings, and benchtop fabrication tools.
• Understanding of workflows involving fluids, sample handling, reagent compatibility, contamination control, and precision fluid manipulation.
• Experience developing or working with fluidic architectures-channels, chambers, manifolds, seals, valves, or flow structures.
• Comfort integrating simple electromechanical elements such as sensors, heaters, pumps, or optical modules.
• Ability to diagnose fluidic and mechanical failure modes and iterate quickly under real constraints.
• Clear communication and the ability to work effectively across engineering and scientific teams.

Nice to Have

• Experience with microfluidics, cartridge-style consumables, or diagnostic hardware.
• Exposure to thermal control, optics, low-volume flow systems, or fluid simulation tools.
• Familiarity with materials used in fluidic and instrumentation hardware (PP, PTFE, silicones, optical plastics, laminates).
• Background in ruggedized or field-deployable scientific instrumentation.
• Hands-on experience with assembly, testing, or root-cause analysis of integrated systems.