Lead Robotic Surgical Instrument Designer

The Mullings Group; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Mullings Group in the Boston area is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to develop surgical instruments for robotic-assisted endoluminal procedures. You will balance clinical performance with robotic actuation constraints and miniaturization.

You will collaborate with surgeons, clinical advisors, and engineers to move concepts through validation, cadaver labs, and regulatory milestones, delivering a manufacturable toolkit for the platform.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline (MS preferred for candidates with limited industry experience)
• 4-8 years of mechanical design engineering experience in surgical instrumentation, medical devices, or precision mechanisms requiring miniaturization and high reliability
• Direct experience designing surgical instruments, catheter-based devices, endoscopic tools, or other minimally invasive surgical devices with understanding of clinical workflow and surgical technique
• Proficiency in 3D CAD design using SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or similar platforms with demonstrated ability to design complex assemblies involving articulation mechanisms, cable-driven systems, and miniaturized components
• Strong understanding of materials selection for surgical instruments including stainless steel alloys, titanium, nitinol, engineering plastics, and biocompatible materials with consideration for mechanical properties, sterilization compatibility, and regulatory requirements
• Experience with engineering analysis including tolerance analysis, stress/fatigue analysis using FEA, and kinematic/dynamic modeling to validate mechanical designs for surgical applications
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes relevant to surgical instruments including precision machining, tube fabrication, laser cutting/welding, wire EDM, cable systems, injection molding, and cleanroom assembly

Responsibilities

• Design surgical instruments for robotic-assisted endoluminal procedures, ensuring clinical performance and integration with the robotic actuation system.
• Create detailed CAD designs (SolidWorks/Creo/NX), emphasizing miniaturization and GD&T, with BOMs and manufacturing specs.
• Perform kinematic, stress, fatigue analyses and tolerance studies to validate designs per safety and performance specs.
• Collaborate with surgeons and experts to translate clinical needs into instrument design, participating in labs and usability studies.
• Collaborate with robotics and software teams to ensure tight integration with the robotic platform (actuation, sensors, control algorithms).
• Develop test protocols and perform mechanical testing (articulation, force, endurance, sterilization) to verify designs.
• Collaborate with manufacturers on prototypes and DFM for tube fabrication, laser/welding, wire EDM, cable/pulley systems, and molding.

Skills

Mechanical design

Surgical instrumentation

Robotic-assisted tools

CAD (SolidWorks/Creo/NX)

FEA

Manufacturing know-how

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

MS preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

FEA tools

Job description

The Mullings Group in the Boston area is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to develop surgical instruments for robotic-assisted endoluminal procedures. You will balance clinical performance with robotic actuation constraints and miniaturization.

You will collaborate with surgeons, clinical advisors, and engineers to move concepts through validation, cadaver labs, and regulatory milestones, delivering a manufacturable toolkit for the platform.