Mechanical Engineer – Hardware and Instrumentation

Automated Systems, Inc.; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Automated Systems, Inc. in Madison, WI is seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineer to support design, development, and deployment of hardware and instrumentation used to manufacture cancer-diagnostic products and process patient samples in our labs.

This hands-on role takes equipment from initial requirements through prototyping, testing, installation, qualification, and production support, coordinating with operations, quality, and suppliers to deliver reliable, compliant systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• At least five years of mechanical, equipment, product development, or hardware engineering experience.
• Experience designing or implementing automated equipment and laboratory instrumentation.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD, engineering drawings, tolerances, and design for manufacturability.
• Experience with motors, actuators, bearings, linear motion, pneumatics, sensors, and fixtures.
• Hands-on assembly, testing, installation, and commissioning experience.

Responsibilities

• Translate operational needs into equipment requirements and mechanical designs.
• Develop mechanical scope, requirements, schedule, and cost estimates.
• Design automated equipment subsystems including frames, guards, conveyors, and robotics.
• Create CAD models, drawings, BOMs, tolerances, and production docs.
• Build and test prototypes to evaluate concepts and performance.
• Specify and procure equipment from machine builders and vendors.
• Review vendor designs and participate in factory acceptance testing.
• Coordinate installation, commissioning, qualification, and transfer to use.
• Provide hands-on troubleshooting for equipment failures and downtime.

Skills

Detail-oriented

Hands-on troubleshooting

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

3D CAD

Engineering drawings

Materials selection

Tolerance analyses

Test & measurement equipment

Job description

Automated Systems, Inc. | Contract to Hire

Mechanical Engineer – Hardware and Instrumentation

Madison, United States | Posted on 08/26/2026

• Industry Pharma/Biotech/Clinical Research
• Work Experience 5+ years
• State/Province WI
• City Madison
• Country United States

Job Description

MechanicalEngineer – Hardware and Instrumentation

Location:Madison, WI

Automated Systems, Inc. (ASI) isseeking an experienced MechanicalEngineer to support design, development, implement, hardware and instrumentationwith equipment used to manufacture cancer-diagnostic products and processpatient samples in our client’s laboratories located in Madison, WI.

Representative equipment may includecollection-kit assembly and packaging lines, reagent formulation and dispensingsystems, automated specimen-handling equipment, mixers and shakers,centrifuges, liquid-handling systems, robotic workcells, conveyors,machine-vision stations, test fixtures, and custom laboratory instruments.

This is a hands-on engineeringposition responsible for taking equipment and mechanical systems from initialrequirements through design, prototyping, fabrication, testing, installation,commissioning, qualification, and ongoing production support.

KeyResponsibilities

• Work with laboratory operations,scientists, manufacturing, quality, automation, software, facilities, andsupply-chain personnel to translate operational needs into equipmentrequirements and practical mechanical designs.
  
• Develop the mechanical scope, functionalrequirements, technical approach, schedule, and cost estimates forassigned equipment projects.
  
• Design automated equipment and mechanicalsubsystems, including frames, enclosures, guarding, fixtures, conveyors,robotic end-of-arm tooling, motion systems, sample-container interfaces,fluid-handling components, thermal-control systems, and operator workstations.
  
• Create and maintain CAD models,engineering drawings, component specifications, bills of materials,tolerance analyses, prototypes, and production documentation.
  
• Build and test prototypes to evaluatedesign concepts, component performance, cycle time, accuracy,repeatability, and equipment reliability.
  
• Specify and procure custom equipment andcomponents from machine builders, contract manufacturers, and automationintegrators.
  
• Review vendor designs, drawings,component selections, and test plans. Participate in vendor testing andfactory acceptance testing.
  
• Coordinate equipment installation andexecute site acceptance testing, commissioning, qualification, andtransfer into routine laboratory or manufacturing use.
  
• Provide hands-on troubleshooting andengineering support for equipment failures, recurring downtime,product-quality problems, and operational bottlenecks.
  

Requirements

MinimumQualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in MechanicalEngineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
  
• At least five years of mechanical,equipment, product-development, or hardware-engineering experience.
  
• Experience designing or implementingautomated equipment, laboratory instrumentation, medical devices,diagnostic equipment, manufacturing machinery, or comparableelectromechanical systems.
  
• Proficiency with three-dimensional CAD,engineering drawings, tolerances, material selection, componentspecification, design for manufacturability, and equipment testing.
  
• Experience developing mechanical systemscontaining motors, actuators, bearings, linear motion, pneumatics,fluid-handling components, sensors, fixtures, guarding, and fabricated ormachined components.
  
• Ability to perform hands-on equipmentassembly, testing, installation, adjustment, troubleshooting, andcommissioning.
  
• Experience producing controlledengineering documentation within a regulated or quality-controlledenvironment.