Job Description

Pilgrim

Pilgrim is building America's biology prime - engineering, manufacturing, and deploying advanced biotechnology for defense and national security. Our primary platform, ARGUS, is a fully autonomous system for detecting biological threats in near real time, from naturally occurring pathogens to engineered agents.

We engineer hardware for biology, turning breakthrough science into fielded capabilities. Based in Redwood City, our team brings together mechanical and electrical engineering, chemistry, and biology under one roof to deliver critical technologies to the people who need them. Pilgrim has raised over $30 million to date and is backed by Peter Thiel, Brian Armstrong, Fred Ehrsam, Dylan Field, and Bryan Johnson, alongside Buckley Ventures, Conviction, Cantos, and others.

About the Role

As a Mechatronics Engineer at Pilgrim, you'll own the development of electromechanical systems across our products. You'll design mechanisms, integrate actuators, sensors, controls, and troubleshoot across mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces. You'll take systems from concept through prototyping, validation, manufacturing, and field deployment.

Responsibilities

• Outline system architecture, interfaces, and performance requirements for electromechanical systems, balancing cost, complexity, and development time.

• Design mechanisms and assemblies in SolidWorks; select motors, pumps, valves, sensors, and supporting components to meet those requirements.

• Integrate mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems, including actuator control, sensor feedback, and data acquisition.

• Build prototypes and test fixtures; troubleshoot mechanical fit, wiring, drivers, sensor signals, and control timing.

• Develop and run system tests to measure accuracy, repeatability, throughput, and reliability under expected operating conditions.

• Refine designs for manufacturing and assembly; produce drawings and build instructions and resolve fabrication issues with suppliers.

• Deploy and test systems in the field, resolve installation and operating issues, and incorporate operator feedback into design changes.

Qualifications

• B.S. in mechatronics, robotics, mechanical engineering, or a related discipline, or demonstrated equivalent capability. A formal degree is not required.

• Portfolio of projects demonstrating your personal contribution to electromechanical systems, robotics, or automated hardware, from design through working prototypes.

• Proficiency in SolidWorks, including parts, assemblies, drawings, and manufacturable mechanism designs.

• Working knowledge of motors, actuators, sensors, drivers, encoders, and mechanical transmission systems.

• Hands-on experience programming or configuring microcontrollers, motion controllers, or data acquisition systems.

• Ability to diagnose failures across mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces using schematics, wiring diagrams, measurements, and instrument logs.

Preferred

• Experience with closed-loop control and tuning, automated test equipment, manufacturing automation, fluidic systems, or field deployment of scientific instruments. Familiarity with ruggedization and MIL-STD/MIL-SPEC design is a plus.

Pilgrim is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Certain positions require access to export-controlled information and are limited to U.S. Persons as defined by applicable export control regulations.

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