Animatronic - Principal Mechanical Engineer (In-Office)

LF Studios; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

A creative design studio in Cincinnati seeks an experienced Engineer to lead engineering efforts for animated figures. Responsibilities include overseeing project lifecycles, managing teams, and ensuring quality control. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, significant design experience, and strong troubleshooting skills. This full-time role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects in a vibrant environment.

Qualifications

• 9 years of mechanical design and analysis experience.
• 4 years of animatronic design experience in themed entertainment.
• 3 years of leadership experience in technical and functional roles.
• 3 years of technical and functional leadership experience expected.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering efforts as the point of contact for customers.
• Oversee the entire lifecycle of animated figure development.
• Troubleshoot and resolve assembly and performance issues.
• Audit internal mechanical and shell designs for best practices and verification.
• Use SolidWorks to design animated figures with Design for Manufacturing.
• Coordinate and lead engineering with digital modeling, controls, and fabrication teams.
• Analyze figures through hand calculations, bearing calculations, RBDs, and FEA; perform QC on analyses.
• Review drawings and approve parts; lead drawing creation process.
• Lead design workshops and reviews; present work to customers.
• Troubleshoot assembly and performance problems on production floor.
• Coordinate and maintain all mechanical and armature documentation throughout projects.

Skills

Mechanical design

Animatronic design

Technical leadership

Troubleshooting

Problem-solving

FEA

Team coordination

Engineering analysis

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related fields

Tools

SolidWorks

Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

Rigid Body Dynamic Simulations (RBDs)

Job description

LifeFormations specializes in the design and fabrication of animated figures (animatronics), sculpted elements, exhibits, and interactive experiences. Our work can be found in leading theme parks, museums, science centers, and branded spaces all over the world. We are seeking a full‑time experienced Engineer with an uncompromising commitment to excellent work to join our growing team in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In this role, you will:

• Lead Engineer for a portfolio consisting of numerous employees, vendors, projects, and customers. This includes being the engineering point of contact for all customer conversations and concerns.
• Own and lead a team, or design vendors, through the development of animated figures through the full lifecycle including design, analysis, procurement, quality control (QC), assembly, testing, and installation.
• Develop Senior engineers to own projects with your oversight.
• Audit internal mechanical and shell designs for best practices and to verify system will work as intended.
• Use SolidWorks to design animated figures using DFM (design for manufacturing).
• Coordinate and lead engineering effort with digital modeling, controls, and fabrication teams.
• Analyze the animated figures through hand calculations, bearing calculations, RBDs (Rigid Body Dynamic Simulations), and FEA (Finite Element Analysis). Perform quality control on other internally and externally performed analysis.
• Review drawing packages and approve parts going to production. Lead the team through the drawing creation process.
• Lead design workshops and reviews.
• Present company design and fabrication work to the customer.
• Troubleshoot assembly and performance problems on the production floor.
• Coordinate and lead effort to create and maintain all mechanical and armature documentation throughout the project.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related technical fields.
• 9 years of mechanical design and analysis experience. 4 years of animatronic design experience within the themed entertainment industry.
• 3 years of technical and functional leadership experiences.
• Leadership experience through a design/build project. Experience in creating positive team morale while driving to a complete product.
• Hands‑on troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills. Ability to provide solutions to complex problems outside your comfort zone in a timely and cost‑effective manner.
• Experienced and skilled in the development, use, and maintenance of FMEAs (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis), HA (Hazard Analysis), DFM (Design for Manufacturing), RBDs (Rigid Body Dynamic Simulations), and FEA (Finite Element Analysis).