Lead Mechanical Engineer

Sleepres Inc; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SleepRes is seeking a Lead Mechanical / Pneumatic Engineer to drive the mechanical, pneumatic, thermal, and acoustic development of PAP therapy systems. You will own the air-delivery architecture, blower integration, enclosure, humidity, and thermal performance from concept through commercialization.

You will mentor engineers, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and guide design reviews, DFM/DFA, and supplier coordination to ensure robust, manufacturable designs.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering; MS preferred.
• 8–12 years of relevant mechanical product development experience.
• Strong fluid/pressure, thermal, and acoustic engineering knowledge.
• Hands-on prototyping, testing, and root-cause investigations.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical and pneumatic architecture for PAP products.
• Own blower integration, airpath, humidification, enclosure, and acoustics.
• Translate system requirements into mechanical specs and interfaces.
• Drive EVT/DVT, design freeze, and V&V activities.
• Lead design reviews with NPI, suppliers, and contract manufacturers.
• Support verification, reliability testing, and root-cause investigations.
• Mentor engineers and elevate the team’s mechanical capability.

Skills

Mechanical design leadership

Pneumatic/air-delivery systems

Thermal management

Acoustics & vibration

Prototyping & testing

Supplier collaboration

System thinking

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

MS preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

DFM/DFA

Job description

About SleepRes

SleepRes is developing next-generation sleep apnea therapy technologies that improve patient outcomes. We are a small, fast-moving R&D team focused on building high-quality medical devices that make a real-world impact.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Lead Mechanical / Pneumatic Engineer to lead the mechanical, pneumatic, thermal, and acoustic development of current and next-generation positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy systems.

This is a hands‑on technical leadership role where you will own the device mechanical and air-delivery architecture, including blower integration, airpath, enclosure, humidification, breathing‑circuit interfaces, thermal performance, and acoustics from concept through commercialization.

You will work closely with systems, electrical, firmware, V&V, NPI, quality, regulatory, overseas suppliers, and contract manufacturers to translate product requirements into reliable, manufacturable designs.

Level

• Staff: Typically 8 years of relevant product-development experience. Serves as the primary technical owner for the mechanical/pneumatic discipline, leads architecture and cross‑functional technical decisions, mentors engineers, and remains deeply hands‑on in design, testing, and commercialization.
• Principal: Typically 10–12 years of relevant experience with demonstrated platform‑level technical leadership. Acts as a company‑level authority for mechanical/pneumatic architecture, establishes engineering standards, resolves the most complex multidisciplinary problems, mentors senior engineers, and influences multiple product generations.

What You’ll Do

• Lead mechanical and pneumatic architecture, design, development, and verification for SleepRes PAP products
• Own blower integration, airpath, pressure/flow paths, humidifier and water chamber, enclosure, seals, breathing‑circuit interfaces, thermal management, and acoustic/vibration performance
• Translate system requirements into mechanical and pneumatic specifications, interfaces, and design solutions
• Perform and review first‑principles analysis including airflow, pressure drop, thermal performance, tolerance stack‑up, structural performance, and acoustics
• Drive rapid prototyping and product development through EVT, DVT, design freeze, formal V&V, PVT, and commercial production
• Lead mechanical design reviews and work with NPI, suppliers, and contract manufacturers on DFM/DFA, tooling, fixtures, assembly processes, and design transfer
• Support verification, reliability testing, and root‑cause investigations for mechanical, pneumatic, thermal, acoustic, and manufacturing issues
• Partner with Operations and Strategic Sourcing on supplier selection, alternate‑source qualification, value engineering, and cost reduction
• Support design controls and risk management, including requirements, specifications, DFMEA, verification documentation, engineering reports, and design changes
• Mentor engineers and help elevate the team’s mechanical engineering capability

What We’re Looking For

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline (MS preferred)
• 8 years of relevant mechanical product‑development experience; Principal-level candidates will typically bring 10–12 years and demonstrated platform‑level technical leadership
• Strong knowledge of fluid mechanics, pressure/flow systems, thermal engineering, mechanical design, tolerance analysis, injection‑molded plastics, seals, and DFM/DFA
• Strong CAD capability using SolidWorks, Creo, or a similar professional mechanical‑design platform
• Demonstrated experience taking complex electromechanical products from concept through commercial production
• Hands‑on experience with prototyping, engineering characterization, laboratory testing, and multidisciplinary root‑cause investigation
• Experience working directly with contract manufacturers and component suppliers
• Strong systems thinking, communication, and ability to lead technical decisions in a fast‑paced cross‑functional environment

Nice to Have

• Experience developing CPAP, ventilator, respiratory, anesthesia, oxygen‑delivery, or other pneumatic medical devices
• Medical-device development experience under ISO 13485 and FDA design controls/QMSR
• Familiarity with applicable IEC 60601, ISO 80601, and ISO 18562 requirements
• Experience with acoustic engineering, vibration analysis, CFD, FEA, or accelerated reliability testing
• Experience with high‑volume Asian manufacturing partners and suppliers
• Experience leading mechanical engineers or serving as the mechanical technical lead for a multidisciplinary product program