Lab Engineer II

Alten USA; North Reading (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Alten USA in North Reading, MA is seeking a Lab Engineer II to advance prototype development in robotics and automation. You will collaborate with engineers, operate and maintain lab environments, and contribute to hardware and software validation.

The role emphasizes hands-on testing, equipment troubleshooting, and delivering precise engineering artifacts while supporting scalable lab operations for new spaces.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM or Electrical/Mechanical Engineering.
• 5+ years in a technical lab, robotics, electro-mechanical, or automation environment.
• Experience troubleshooting electro-mechanical systems, control systems (PLC/I/O), or lab equipment.
• Hardware rework and prototype testing experience.
• Lab operations management including materials stocking and fixture maintenance.
• Ability to interpret CAD drawings, schematics, SOPs, and equipment specs.
• Safe operation of lab equipment following defined safety protocols.

Responsibilities

• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot test environments, fixtures, and lab equipment.
• Perform robot repairs and hardware rework to maintain test readiness.
• Build, test, analyze, and validate robotic prototypes using motion capture systems and lab instrumentation.
• Deliver high-quality engineering artifacts including test reports and work instructions.
• Assess lab operations, identify process improvements, and lead efficiency initiatives as new labs come online.

Skills

Python/C++ programming

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM or Electrical/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

OptiTrack

Vicon

Job description

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

As a Lab Engineer II you will be responsible for;

• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot test environments, fixtures, and lab equipment to ensure high availability and uptime for prototype development and verification and validation efforts.
• Perform robot repairs and hardware rework to maintain test readiness, diagnosing root causes and implementing corrective actions efficiently.
• Build, test, analyze, and validate robotic prototypes and subsystems using tools such as motion capture systems, test fixtures, and standard lab instrumentation.
• Deliver high-quality engineering artifacts including test reports, work instructions, and lessons-learned documents that support team knowledge and reproducibility.
• Assess lab operations proactively, identify process improvements, and lead initiatives that simplify workflows and remove bottlenecks as new lab spaces come online.

Qualifications;

• Experience managing lab resources, equipment, and supplies.
• Bachelor's degree or above in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), or Bachelor's degree or above in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in a technical lab, robotics, electro-mechanical, or automation environment operating, testing, and maintaining equipment.
• Experience troubleshooting, diagnosing, and maintaining electro-mechanical systems, control systems (e.g., PLC, I/O), or lab equipment.
• Experience completing hardware rework and repair, prototype fabrication, and/or component testing.
• Experience managing lab operations such as materials stocking, test fixture assembly/maintenance, and station PC/webcam systems.
• Experience interpreting engineering documentation, including CAD, drawings, schematics, equipment specifications, test procedures, and/or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Experience safely operating lab equipment following defined safety protocols (e.g., interlocks, lockout/safety devices).

Preferred Qualifications;

• Experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting optical motion capture systems (e.g., OptiTrack, Vicon, or similar platforms), including calibration, rigid body/skeleton setup, and data collection through post-processing
• Experience integrating and streaming data from third-party devices (e.g., force plates) within a motion capture environment
• Experience executing robotic tests across both hardware and software aspects, including operation of gantry control and tracking systems
• Experience in communicating with users, other technical teams, and management to collect requirements, evaluate alternatives and develop processes and tools as needed to support the organization
• Knowledge of Python and/or C++ programming

Salary Range: $110K - $140K

The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.