Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer

BrightHire Search Partners; Newport (RI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

BrightHire Search Partners seeks a Senior R&D Prototype Mechanical Engineer to join a small, autonomous team focused on rapid ideation and prototyping for home automation technologies.

You will translate concepts into functional mechanisms, create CAD, and build electromechanical prototypes while collaborating with firmware, electrical, and industrial design to de-risk early-stage tech.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 8–12+ years of mechanical engineering experience with prototypes.
• Strong CAD skills, preferably SolidWorks, with ability to interface with NPD teams.

Responsibilities

• Translate high-level concepts into functional mechanical designs, mechanisms, and prototypes.
• Create detailed CAD models and move from design to 3D-printed or machined hardware.
• Design, source, order, and assemble electromechanical systems.
• Build working prototypes and test fixtures under tight timelines.
• Collaborate with firmware/software and electrical design to integrate mechanical elements.
• Evaluate failure modes and design for robustness, especially for field prototypes.
• Interface with internal resources and external machine shops/suppliers.
• Support technology handoff with clear documentation.
• Partner with industrial design on form-factor innovation.
• Operate in a fast-paced, high-ambiguity environment with rapid iteration.

Skills

Mechatronics

Prototype development

Electrical interfaces

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks CAD

Other CAD platforms

3D printing

Job description

Senior R&D Prototype Mechanical Engineer

Join a small, high-autonomy R&D team focused on identifying, prototyping, and de-risking emerging technologies that will shape the future of home automation. This is a hands-on mechanical design role in a fast-moving, ideation-heavy environment that operates with significant freedom and prioritizes rapid iteration over polish.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate high-level concepts into functional mechanical designs, mechanisms, and prototypes
• Create detailed CAD models (SolidWorks preferred) and rapidly move from design to 3D-printed or machined hardware
• Design, source, order, and assemble electromechanical systems involving motors, actuators, sensors, and supporting structures
• Build working prototypes and test fixtures under tight timelines (days to weeks)
• Collaborate closely with firmware/software and electrical design to integrate mechanical and electromechanical elements
• Evaluate real-world failure modes and design for robustness, especially for field-deployed prototypes
• Interface with internal FEA/modeling resources and external machine shops/suppliers
• Support technology handoff at TRL 6 to NPD/sustaining engineering teams with clear, practical documentation
• Partner with industrial design on how new technologies can enable greater product flexibility and form-factor innovation
• Operate comfortably in an environment of frequent pivots, high ambiguity, and rapid experimentation

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field
• 8–12+ years of Mechanical Engineering experience, ideally building prototypes
• Strong proficiency in CAD SolidWorks strongly preferred; other platforms acceptable with ability to interface with SolidWorks-based NPD teams
• Demonstrated ability to take concepts from idea to design to parts to working prototype
• Hands-on experience designing mechanisms, enclosures, and electromechanical systems
• Practical understanding of motors, actuators, sensors, and basic system integration
• Experience working with machine shops, suppliers, and rapid prototyping methods (3D printing, machining, etc.)
• Ability to assess and design for real-world failure modes and robustness
• Comfortable operating independently with high-level direction in a fast-paced, low-structure environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in R&D, advanced technology, startup, or small-team environments rather than pure production/sustaining roles
• Mechatronics, robotics, or systems-level experience
• Exposure to FEA/structural analysis (or strong ability to define requirements for internal analysts)
• Experience with stage-gate innovation processes
• Prior work involving field-deployed prototypes or harsh/real-world operating conditions