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.