Makerspace Engineer: Prototyping & Fabrication Lead

Mindspan Institute; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Family benefits

Matching retirement contribution

Competitive salary

Job summary

Mindspan Institute is building an on-site makerspace from the ground up in Cambridge, MA. The role involves setting up CNC mills, lathes, drill presses, 3D printers and a laser cutter, then operating and expanding the shop to support neurotechnologies for brain mapping.

You will collaborate with scientists and engineers, co-design parts, fabricate subsystems, and ensure safe, efficient shop operations and documentation. This is an in-person, hands-on builder role with autonomy.

Qualifications

• B.S./M.S. in mechanical engineering or related field is required or equivalent experience.
• Hands-on experience with manual and CNC machining, 3D printing and laser cutting, and the CAM and slicing software behind them.
• Proficiency with modern 3D CAD, drawings and tolerancing.
• A track record of designing, building and testing real parts and systems in a makerspace or prototyping lab.
• Familiarity with the tools and culture of a modern makerspace, including training others and keeping a shared shop safe.

Responsibilities

• Build the shop: specify, buy, install and commission the machines, tooling and safety systems.
• Run the shop: keep machines calibrated and running, manage materials, and train scientists and engineers to make their own parts safely.
• Co-design and fabricate: turn experimental needs into CAD models, drawings and finished parts by machining, printing and cutting.
• Assemble, test and integrate: build subsystems, test them for function, and integrate them into larger systems that measure, handle and image brain tissue.
• Document: keep drawings, setups and process notes others can follow, with the reasoning behind each choice.

Skills

Manual CNC Machining

3D Printing

Laser Cutting

CAM Software

CAD & Tolerancing

Prototype Fabrication

Education

B.S./M.S. in mechanical engineering or related field

Tools

CAM Software

3D CAD software

Slicing software

Job description

Mindspan Institute is building an on-site makerspace from the ground up in Cambridge, MA. The role involves setting up CNC mills, lathes, drill presses, 3D printers and a laser cutter, then operating and expanding the shop to support neurotechnologies for brain mapping.

You will collaborate with scientists and engineers, co-design parts, fabricate subsystems, and ensure safe, efficient shop operations and documentation. This is an in-person, hands-on builder role with autonomy.