About this opportunity
iORGANBIO lists this Mechanical & Hardware Engineer opportunity in durham, North Carolina. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
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
Worksite address
durham, NC, 27703, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.