Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer

Sava; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

SAVA, a London-based innovator in biosensing, seeks a Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer to own early-stage experimental work for wearable sensors. You will set strategy, decide tests, and translate data into design decisions shaping the product.

You will define lab capabilities, mentor others, and drive test methods toward readiness for a regulated medical device, aligning with biomaterials and electronics leads.

Qualifications

• Masters or PhD in mechanical engineering or closely related field.
• 6+ years of hands-on experimental R&D, ideally including time in industry.
• A track record of leading technical workstreams from open question to clear outcome.
• Deep expertise in experimental design and statistics (DoE, ANOVA, regression, capability analysis).
• Strong experience with mechanical and materials testing - tensile, peel, shear, fatigue or similar.
• Confidence designing test fixtures and prototypes (CAD, 3D printing, machining).
• Fluent data analysis in Python, MATLAB, Minitab, JMP or similar
• Sound engineering judgement: you can make good calls with incomplete data and explain why.

Responsibilities

• Own the adhesive and device-skin interface workstream end to end: material strategy, peel/shear/tack testing, wear-time studies and failure analysis.
• Set the experimental approach for early R&D - define DoE and screening strategies, and make sure conclusions are statistically sound.
• Design and build test rigs, fixtures and methods, taking them from quick prototypes to robust, repeatable lab procedures.
• Lead the selection, evaluation and qualification of new test equipment, and author the methods and SOPs behind it.
• Drive early-stage concept work on new materials and mechanical designs, from hypothesis to recommendation.
• Partner with biomaterials, sensor and electronics leads to translate findings into design decisions.
• Mentor junior engineers and scientists on experimental design, statistics and good lab practice.
• Communicate results and recommendations clearly to the leadership team.
• Shape the test strategy for design verification as we move towards a regulated medical device.

Skills

Experimental R&D

DoE

Statistics

Data interpretation

Mentoring

Education

Masters or PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD

3D Printing

Machining

Python

MATLAB

Minitab

JMP

Job description

All the health information we need is within us. Just below the skin. SAVA is redefining the way people interact with their health by developing the most advanced biosensing technology science has to offer, capable of accessing bodily information in a painless, real-time and affordable way.

About SAVA

All the health information we need is within us. Just below the skin. SAVA is redefining the way people interact with their health by developing the most advanced biosensing technology science has to offer, capable of accessing bodily information in a painless, real-time and affordable way.

The Role

We're hiring a Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer to own and lead early-stage experimental work on our wearable sensor. You'll set the experimental strategy, decide what gets tested and how, and turn complex data into clear engineering decisions that shape the product.

A major focus is how the device attaches to and performs on the body adhesives, skin interface and wear performance. You'll also define the lab's test capability, selecting and qualifying new equipment as we grow. You'll be a technical authority in the team, mentoring others and raising the bar on how we run experiments.

What You’ll Do

• Own the adhesive and device-skin interface workstream end to end: material strategy, peel/shear/tack testing, wear-time studies and failure analysis.
• Set the experimental approach for early R&D - define DoE and screening strategies, and make sure conclusions are statistically sound.
• Design and build test rigs, fixtures and methods, taking them from quick prototypes to robust, repeatable lab procedures.
• Lead the selection, evaluation and qualification of new test equipment, and author the methods and SOPs behind it.
• Drive early-stage concept work on new materials and mechanical designs, from hypothesis to recommendation.
• Partner with biomaterials, sensor and electronics leads to translate findings into design decisions.
• Mentor junior engineers and scientists on experimental design, statistics and good lab practice.
• Communicate results and recommendations clearly to the leadership team.
• Shape the test strategy for design verification as we move towards a regulated medical device.

What We’re Looking For

• A Masters or PhD in mechanical engineering or a closely related field.
• 6+ years of hands-on experimental R&D, ideally including time in industry.
• A track record of leading technical workstreams from open question to clear outcome.
• Deep expertise in experimental design and statistics (DoE, ANOVA, regression, capability analysis).
• Strong experience with mechanical and materials testing - tensile, peel, shear, fatigue or similar.
• Confidence designing test fixtures and prototypes (CAD, 3D printing, machining).
• Fluent data analysis in Python, MATLAB, Minitab, JMP or similar
• Sound engineering judgement: you can make good calls with incomplete data and explain why.

Bonus Points For

• Experience with medical-grade adhesives, wearables or skin-contact devices.
• Exposure to medical device development (ISO 13485, design controls, verification testing).
• Background in polymers, soft materials or microfabricated devices.
• Experience setting up a lab or specifying capital equipment.