Mechanical Engineer, Machine Design

Scrap Labs; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Professional development budget

Shop tools & PPE

Job summary

Scrap Labs in Boulder, CO is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineer, Machine Design to design, build, and validate mechanical systems for our metal 3D printer platform. You will own hardware from concept through working reality, spanning CAD, prototyping, assembly, test, and iteration.

Join a small, high-output team, collaborate across disciplines, optimize for speed, reliability, and manufacturability, and contribute to rapid iteration in a fast-paced prototyping environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• Experience using a CAD design package, SolidWorks strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated hands on mechanical experience through project teams, internships, or professional experience.
• Ability to translate an idea into physical hardware through iterative prototyping and debugging.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and activate mechanical subsystems for a metal powder bed fusion (SLM) 3D printer platform, including structures, mechanisms, motion assemblies, thermal hardware, enclosures, and powder handling interfaces.
• Develop the factory in a lab approach, rapid prototyping, test driven iteration, and design for assembly improvements to accelerate build speed and reliability.
• Collaborate across disciplines, electrical, firmware or software, optics or laser, and process development, to influence system architecture and interfaces.
• Execute structural sizing, mechanism design, hardware fabrication support, and development testing to deliver functional prototypes and production intent designs.
• Create detailed CAD models and engineering drawings in SolidWorks, manage large assemblies and configurations with clean revision control.
• Perform engineering hand calculations and basic analysis to size structures, fasteners, mechanisms, and interfaces.
• Support manufacturing planning and build execution, machining, sheet metal, welding, vendor sourcing, and assembly procedures.
• Own test fixtures and validation setups, document results, and drive design changes based on real world data.
• Improve reliability and serviceability through thoughtful design, tolerance strategy, and practical GD&T application.

Skills

Mechanical design

SolidWorks

CAD

Prototyping

GD&T

Documentation

Vendor coordination

Structural analysis

Manufacturing knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Open role

Open

Mechanical Engineer, Machine Design

Boulder, CO (On-site)

Scrap Labs was founded under the belief that high performance metal 3D printing should be accessible to builders, labs, and small manufacturers, not just massive corporations. We are developing an ultra low cost, high performance metal powder bed fusion platform designed to be reproducible with off the shelf parts, minimal labor, and a scrappy, experimental ethos. Our goal is to unlock rapid iteration and real manufacturing capability for the next wave of hardware innovation. As a member of the Scrap Labs machine design team, you will work alongside a small, high output group of engineers and technicians to design, build, and validate critical mechanical systems for our metal 3D printer platform and supporting subsystems. This role is hands on and fast paced, spanning CAD, prototyping, assembly, test, and iteration. You will own hardware from concept through working reality.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and activate mechanical subsystems for a metal powder bed fusion (SLM) 3D printer platform, including structures, mechanisms, motion assemblies, thermal hardware, enclosures, and powder handling interfaces.
• Develop the factory in a lab approach, rapid prototyping, test driven iteration, and design for assembly improvements to accelerate build speed and reliability.
• Collaborate across disciplines, electrical, firmware or software, optics or laser, and process development, to influence system architecture and interfaces.
• Execute structural sizing, mechanism design, hardware fabrication support, and development testing to deliver functional prototypes and production intent designs.
• Create detailed CAD models and engineering drawings in SolidWorks, manage large assemblies and configurations with clean revision control.
• Perform engineering hand calculations and basic analysis to size structures, fasteners, mechanisms, and interfaces.
• Support manufacturing planning and build execution, machining, sheet metal, welding, vendor sourcing, and assembly procedures.
• Own test fixtures and validation setups, document results, and drive design changes based on real world data.
• Improve reliability and serviceability through thoughtful design, tolerance strategy, and practical GD&T application.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline, recent graduate or early career.
• Experience using a CAD design package, SolidWorks strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated hands on mechanical experience through project teams, personal builds, internships, research labs, makerspaces, or professional experience.
• Ability to translate an idea into physical hardware through iterative prototyping and debugging.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Prior experience with 3D printing, FDM, SLA, SLS, or metal additive, including practical understanding of print constraints, fixturing, and post processing.
• Experience designing mechanisms, linkages, cams, belt or lead screw drives, bearings, preload, and alignment sensitive assemblies.
• Experience with manufacturing processes, FDM, machining, sheet metal, welding, fastener selection, and tolerance stack ups.
• Strong understanding and practical application of GD&T.
• Comfort operating in a fast paced environment with shifting priorities and aggressive iteration cycles.
• Strong communication skills, clear documentation, crisp design reviews, and direct coordination with technicians and suppliers.
• Experience working alongside AI, knowing when it is appropriate to use it and when it is not.

Additional Requirements

• On site role in Boulder, CO, ability to work safely in a raw prototyping and production shop environment.
• Work schedule may vary based on build and test cycles, flexibility is required during critical integration pushes.
• Physical requirements may include lifting, standing, bending, climbing ladders, and working around shop equipment and active test setups.

Stand: Up to 3 hours per day.

Sit: Up to 6 hours per day.

Lift or carry: Up to 25 lbs unassisted, 1 to 2 hours per day.

Push or pull: Up to 50 lbs unassisted, 1 to 2 hours per day.

Climb: Up to 1 hour per day.

Kneel or crouch: Up to 2 hours per day.

Compensation And Benefits

• Salary range: $75,000 to $95,000 per year, depending on experience and demonstrated capability.
• Performance based bonuses.
• Health: medical, dental, and vision insurance, company contribution.
• Time off: paid time off, paid holidays, and paid sick leave in accordance with Colorado law.
• Family leave: paid family and medical leave in accordance with Colorado FAMLI requirements.
• Growth: professional development budget for relevant tools, training, and conferences.
• Shop support: all required tools, PPE, and safety training provided.