Mechanical & Hardware Engineer

iORGANBIO; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Cash bonus

Equity

Ground-floor opportunity

Job summary

iORGANBIO is seeking a Mechanical & Hardware Engineer to design, prototype, and scale the hardware powering our AI-guided tissue engineering platform. This on-site, paid, initial 3-month full-time contract in Morrisville offers a path to a permanent role based on funding, performance, and mutual fit.

You will work closely with leadership, biologists, software developers, AI scientists, and operations staff to build precision systems that enable tissue generation at scale, including mechanical

Qualifications

• 2+ years in mechanical/hardware roles in biotech or manufacturing.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD and DFx.
• Hands-on hardware bring-up and fabrication experience.
• Familiarity with embedded systems and automation platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and integrate mechanical/hardware subsystems for tissue platforms.
• Develop control code and APIs/UI as needed.
• Maintain CAD docs, schematics, wiring diagrams, BOMs; perform failure analysis.
• Collaborate with software engineers for closed-loop control and real-time monitoring.
• Contribute to platform roadmap and evaluate emerging technologies.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

3D CAD

Hardware development

Embedded systems

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

PLC/Robotics

Raspberry Pi

Job description

We are building the technology and industrial base to make the promise of cell-based regenerative medicine available to everyone, for every ailment.

We are a cutting-edge seed-stage biotechnology company building an AI-agentic deep tech platform to provide an infinite supply of unique functional tissues to enable transformative therapeutic solutions — at population scale. The platform seamlessly integrates software, AI, sequencing, and robotic solutions to listen to cells and adjust key parameters to guide stem cell differentiation. With a lean team of dedicated scientists and engineers, we are seeking a highly skilled Mechanical & Hardware Engineer to develop, optimize, and scale the intelligent hardware systems powering our tissue engineering platform.

Company Overview

We are building the technology and industrial base to make the promise of cell-based regenerative medicine available to everyone, for every ailment.

We are a cutting-edge seed-stage biotechnology company building an AI-agentic deep tech platform to provide an infinite supply of unique functional tissues to enable transformative therapeutic solutions — at population scale. The platform seamlessly integrates software, AI, sequencing, and robotic solutions to listen to cells and adjust key parameters to guide stem cell differentiation. With a lean team of dedicated scientists and engineers, we are seeking a highly skilled Mechanical & Hardware Engineer to develop, optimize, and scale the intelligent hardware systems powering our tissue engineering platform.

Position Overview

The Mechanical & Hardware Engineer will design, prototype, and integrate mechanical and electromechanical systems that bridge biology, robotics, and automation. This is an on-site (Morrisville), paid, full-time initial 3-month contract position with the option to transition into a permanent role based on funding availability, performance, and mutual fit. Ideally, the candidate ends up building the hardware engineering department of the company. You will collaborate closely with leadership, biologists, software developers, AI scientists, and operations staff to build precision systems that enable tissue generation at scale.

The objective of the first contract is to iterate twice on the core platform of the company to establish a first prototype that meets key performance objectives in support of the long-term vision of the company.

Reports directly to the CEO. As an early member of a deep tech start-up led by biotech entrepreneurs with hyper-growth mentality, you will work closely with senior leadership and experience the early days of a start-up: autonomy, trust, and extremely high pace.

Key Responsibilities

System Design & Integration

• Design, prototype, and iterate mechanical and electromechanical subsystems for tissue fabrication platforms (e.g., automated bioreactors, robotic handling, perfusion systems)
• Own the mechanical architecture of the platform: structures, enclosures, fixtures, fluid routing, and thermal management
• Integrate sensors, actuators, controllers, and off-the-shelf embedded systems into custom hardware platforms
• Develop control code to run differentiation campaigns; develop APIs and UIs if needed
• Develop scalable automation solutions for cell culture, differentiation, and tissue maturation
• Collaborate with software engineers to implement closed-loop control systems, machine vision, and real-time monitoring

Hardware Development & Testing

• Build and maintain precision instrumentation that enables high-reliability tissue engineering workflows
• Conduct rapid prototyping using 3D printing, machining, CNC, and other fabrication methods
• Evaluate system performance, run failure analysis, and optimize for robustness, accuracy, and throughput
• Maintain design documentation (CAD, schematics, wiring diagrams, BOMs) and ensure reproducibility
• Run troubleshooting campaigns with water to discover and fix bugs across the stack
• Run beta experiments with live cells to demonstrate fitness of hardware for scientific and commercial applications; in collaboration with scientists

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with cell biologists and bioengineers to align mechanical and biological performance targets
• Support scientific experimentation by rapidly iterating on hardware needs
• Contribute to design reviews, safety assessments, and regulatory documentation as needed
• Provide training and technical support to lab and operations staff
• Communicate actively with leadership about technical, cultural, and any other corporate topics

Strategic Development

• Contribute to platform roadmap and inform long-term hardware infrastructure strategy
• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies that could accelerate our manufacturing capabilities
• Participate in IP generation and protect novel designs through coordination with legal counsel

Required Qualifications

Technical Experience

• 2+ years in mechanical, hardware, or electromechanical engineering roles, ideally in industrial biotech, medical devices, or advanced manufacturing — personal projects or academic extra-curricular experiences are acceptable
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or other), design for manufacturing, and hardware development tools
• Hands-on experience with mechanical fabrication, assembly, and hardware bring-up
• Familiarity with embedded systems (Raspberry Pi or others), control concepts, and automation platforms (e.g., PLCs, robotic arms, motion control systems)

Domain Knowledge

• Understanding of biological lab workflows and constraints preferred
• Experience with fluidics, thermal management, and sterile design is a strong plus
• Knowledge of rapid prototyping and low-volume manufacturing methods

Collaborative & Leadership Skills

• Comfortable working across disciplines in a small, dynamic team
• Strong problem-solving and hands-on engineering abilities
• Ability to manage time effectively in a resource-constrained environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

Educational Background

• BS, MS, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline

Specific Experience

• Prior work in a startup, biotech startup, or medical hardware development
• Experience with FDA or ISO 13485 design control processes
• Demonstrated ability to take hardware from concept to functional deployment
• Participation in engineering forums, competitions, or open-source contributions

What We Offer

Competitive Compensation Package, including cash, bonus, and equity

Professional Opportunity

• Own major technology components and complex hardware systems
• Ground-floor opportunity to shape the intelligent hardware backbone of a breakthrough biotech platform
• Work at the intersection of AI, software, sequencing, automation, and regenerative medicine
• Deep collaboration with a world-class scientific and engineering team
• Build a hyper growth start-up from the ground up

Growth Environment

• Entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment with significant autonomy
• Direct reporting to the CEO and close collaboration with the scientific co-founders
• Opportunity to build a core hardware function from the ground up
• Exposure to leading-edge iPSC technology and regenerative therapeutics