Animatronic - Senior Mechanical Engineer

LF Studios; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A design and fabrication studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, is seeking a full-time Engineer to join their design team. You will be responsible for leading a small team in developing animated figures through the full lifecycle, integrating mechanical design with electrical systems. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, along with significant experience in mechanical design and animatronics. Hands-on problem-solving skills and the ability to lead effectively are essential for this role.

Qualifications

• 5 years of mechanical design and analysis experience.
• 2 years of animatronic design experience within the themed entertainment industry.
• Experience in creating positive team morale while driving to a complete product.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team through the development of animated figures.
• Audit mechanical designs for best practices.
• Use SolidWorks to design animated figures.

Skills

Mechanical design

Animatronic design

Problem-solving skills

Leadership

DFM (Design for Manufacturing)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related technical fields

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Overview

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.

As a key part of the design team, you would be responsible for integrating mechanical design with the electrical and control systems of animated figures, mechanical effects, and show-action equipment. Building upon machine design best practices, customer specifications, and industry standards, you would create designs to meet or exceed customer expectations with safety and reliability at the forefront of what we produce.

In this role, you will:

Responsibilities

• Own and lead a small 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.
• 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.
• Produce drawing packages following ASTM standards. Lead the team through the drawing creation process.
• Lead design workshops and reviews.
• Present company design and fabrication work to internal project teams and 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.
• 5 years of mechanical design and analysis experience. 2 years of animatronic design experience within the themed entertainment industry.
• Leadership experience through a design/build project. Experience in creating positive team morale while driving to a complete product.
• Ability to take initiative and give direction to a team.
• 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).