Assistant/ Associate Specialist - Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

University of California-Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 66,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

UC Berkeley's Biomimetic Millisystems Lab seeks an Assistant/Associate Specialist to advance milli-robot locomotion research. The role involves designing actuation systems, developing a tiny fluidic pump, and creating micro surgical tooling integrated into a soft, untethered robot for medical applications.

The project aims to build a 5 mm diameter soft crawler with independent actuation and precise control, leveraging MEMS fabrication and advanced materials to enable navigation through tortuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree is required at time of application.
• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering, or related field is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design the actuation system, including IMPRINT contraction muscles and actuator arrangement.
• Develop a miniaturized fluidic pump to drive robot segments and biopsy actuators.
• Create custom micro surgical tooling integrated into the microbot body.
• Meet technical milestones and document intermediate results for reports and publications.
• Collaborate closely with other project team members.

Skills

Mechatronics

Actuators

Sensors

Electronics

Software

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

MEMS fabrication

Fabrication tools

Soft robotics

Job description

Position overview

Position title: Assistant/Associate Specialist

Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the following tables(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: T24 B . A reasonable full-time salary estimated for this position is $65,800 - $91,100

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: Fall 2026

Position duration: One year, with the possibility of reappointment based on performance and availability of funding.

Application Window

Open date: September 4, 2026

Next review date: Friday, Sep 18, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Sunday, Oct 4, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Biomimetic Millisystems Lab, in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley seeks to hire a Assistant/Associate Specialist. The Biomimetic Millisystems Lab works to radically improve milli-robot locomotion capabilities by combining insights from nature with novel fabrication technology. The lab's current research is centered on medical applications of milli-robots.

The goal of this research project is to develop an untethered 5 mm diameter soft crawling robot capable of navigating through tortuous anatomy. The micro-robot will be based on fluidically driven IMPRINT actuators(\"Multi-Layer LDPE Pouch Robots Enabled by Inkjet-Printed Masking Layers.\" Advanced Materials Technologies 2025).

Duties:

• Design of the actuation system, including the development of the IMPRINT contraction muscles and the arrangement of the IMPRINT actuators with elastic elements to enable omnidirectional articulation and contraction for steering and locomotion.


• Development of a miniaturized fluidic pump which has sufficient flow and pressure to drive the robot segment, foot, and biopsy actuators.


• Development of custom micro surgical tooling for soft tissue biopsy sampling, which is integrated into the microbot body.

Additional duties include:

• Focused work towards technical milestones


• Complete documentation of intermediate results for reports and publications


• Close cooperation with other project team members.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• Bachelor's degree or any equivalent international degree

Preferred qualifications

• Master's degree or any equivalent international degree in Mechanical Engineering, or Bioengineering


• Experience with design, fabrication and prototyping


• Experience with mechatronics including actuators, sensors, electronics, and software


• Overall strong record of experimental robotics research


• Experience with fabrication of multi-degree of freedom micro-robots


• Experience with magnetic actuation and sensing systems for untethered robots


• Experience with fluidic millirobots


• Experience with MEMS fabrication


• Experience with soft robotics

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.


• Cover Letter - Summarize research interests and professional goals. Demonstrate the expertise in related areas

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affid...

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• \"Misconduct\" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.


• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy


• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy


• APM - 035: Affid...

Job location

Berkeley, CA