Prototyping Engineer

Pilgrim; Redwood City (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Pilgrim in Redwood City is seeking a Prototyping Engineer to build, modify, and test the hardware behind ARGUS. You will design parts and fixtures, fabricate components, assemble prototypes, and troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and fluidic problems to turn test results into real improvements.

Collaborating with engineers and scientists, you will compress the time from idea to working prototype, document designs and test outcomes, and help move subsequent builds faster.

Qualifications

• Portfolio or project examples showing your personal contribution to hardware.
• Working knowledge of SolidWorks, including creating parts and assemblies and interpreting mechanical drawings.
• Hands-on experience with mechanical assembly, hand tools, and at least one fabrication method (3D printing or machining).
• Ability to interpret wiring diagrams and use tools such as calipers and multimeters to inspect hardware.

Responsibilities

• Own prototype builds and test fixtures, planning parts, tools, and inputs.
• Design parts and assemblies in SolidWorks from sketches and specs.
• Fabricate, modify, and fit components using 3D printing, hand tools, and shop equipment.
• Assemble and integrate mechanical components, electronics, sensors, actuators, and fluidics into hardware.
• Build test setups, run bench tests, and investigate failures using measurements and observations.
• Propose and implement design and build improvements using test results to guide iterations.
• Document designs, parts, assembly steps, and test results to enable reproducibility.

Skills

Portfolio

SolidWorks

Mechanical assembly

Wiring diagrams

Tools

Calipers

Multimeter

3D printing

Job description

About Pilgrim

Pilgrim is building America’s biology prime - engineering, manufacturing, and deploying advanced biotechnology for defense and national security. Our primary platform, ARGUS, is a fully autonomous system for detecting biological threats in near real time, from naturally occurring pathogens to engineered agents.

About Pilgrim

Pilgrim is building America’s biology prime - engineering, manufacturing, and deploying advanced biotechnology for defense and national security. Our primary platform, ARGUS, is a fully autonomous system for detecting biological threats in near real time, from naturally occurring pathogens to engineered agents.

We engineer hardware for biology, turning breakthrough science into fielded capabilities. Based in Redwood City, our team brings together mechanical and electrical engineering, chemistry, and biology under one roof to deliver critical technologies to the people who need them.

Pilgrim has raised over $30 million to date and is backed by Peter Thiel, Brian Armstrong, Fred Ehrsam, Dylan Field, and Bryan Johnson, alongside Buckley Ventures, Conviction, Cantos, and others.

About The Role

As a Prototyping Engineer at Pilgrim, you’ll build, modify, and test the hardware behind our products. You’ll design parts and fixtures, fabricate components, assemble prototypes, and troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and fluidic problems. Working with engineers and scientists, you’ll turn test results into practical improvements and compress the timeline from idea to working prototype.

Responsibilities

• Own prototype builds and test fixtures, planning the work and identifying the parts, tools, and engineering input needed.
• Design parts and assemblies in SolidWorks, translating sketches, measurements, and functional requirements into buildable designs.
• Fabricate, modify, and fit components using 3D printing, hand tools, and shop equipment.
• Assemble and integrate mechanical components, electronics, sensors, actuators, and fluidics into working hardware.
• Build test setups, run bench tests, and investigate failures using measurements and observations.
• Propose and implement design and build improvements with engineers and scientists, using test results to guide the next iteration.
• Document designs, parts, assembly steps, and test results so prototypes can be reproduced and subsequent builds move faster.

Qualifications

• Portfolio or project examples showing your personal contribution to hardware through work, coursework, competitions, or independent projects.
• Working knowledge of SolidWorks, including creating parts and assemblies and interpreting mechanical drawings.
• Hands‑on experience with mechanical assembly, hand tools, and at least one fabrication method, such as 3D printing or machining.
• Ability to interpret wiring diagrams and use tools such as calipers and multimeters to inspect and test hardware.

Preferred

• Experience with soldering, cable assembly, fluidic components, CNC machining, or benchtop electrical testing. A formal engineering degree is not required.

Pilgrim is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Certain positions require access to export‑controlled information and are limited to U.S. Persons as defined by applicable export control regulations.