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Mechanical Engineer II

Emeryville, CA

Our mission at Ansa Biotechnologies is to revolutionize the way we make DNA. At Ansa, we are putting nature to work, creating novel enzymatic solutions that will redefine how we build DNA. We believe that the biggest challenges our world faces will be solved using biotechnology and that DNA synthesis is the fuel for that transformation. Our enzyme-based approach (published in Nature Biotechnology) promises to dramatically accelerate innovation in biological research and biotechnology, including therapeutics, diagnostics, biomanufacturing, and synthetic biology. We look forward to our DNA products making an impact.

About the Role

We are seeking a versatile Mechanical Engineer II with 2–4 years of experience to join our dynamic R&D team. This role is ideal for an engineer who is excited by complexity, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is eager to expand their skills beyond traditional mechanical engineering. You will be a key contributor in the entire instrument lifecycle, working closely with senior engineers on development and support.

If you are energized by wearing multiple hats, tackling diverse technical challenges, and gaining hands-on experience in electromechanical systems, fluidics, and precision motion control, we encourage you to apply.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design, prototype, and test new mechanical components and sub-systems for cutting-edge instrumentation under the guidance of senior engineers.
  • Contribute to the definition of instrument architecture and specifications in collaboration with cross-functional teams (Engineering, Systems Integration, Chemistry, Manufacturing).
  • Perform hands-on electromechanical troubleshooting and root cause analysis of complex system failures on both new and legacy instruments.
  • Integrate and test components related to linear actuators and and fluidic subsystems
  • Provide essential engineering support for existing instruments, including design improvements and ongoing maintenance. This includes generating and maintaining detailed engineering documents including drawings and schematics.
  • Assist in the assembly, integration, verification and validation of in house instrumentation.

Required Qualifications

  • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
  • Experience: 2–4 years of professional experience in mechanical design, instrument development, or a related field.
  • Technical Skills:
    • Proficiency in 3D CAD software (SolidWorks preferred) for part and assembly design as well as manufacturing drawing generation with tolerances.
    • Proven experience with the design and integration of linear actuators, stepper motors, and other motion control components.
    • Demonstrated ability to take mechanical designs from concept to a functioning assembly
    • Hands-on experience with prototyping, testing, and troubleshooting electromechanical systems.

Desired Skills (Great to Have, Not Mandatory)

  • Basic understanding of Electrical Engineering principles for instrument integration, sensor selection and effective troubleshooting
  • Basic programming and scripting ability
  • Experience assembling and designing fluidics components such as manifolds with valves
  • Experience in the Life Sciences industry is a plus.
  • A demonstrated ability to manage tasks efficiently and switch between different technical domains frequently.

Culture & Growth

We are looking for someone who is curious, adaptable, and excited to learn. We don’t expect you to have experience in every single item listed, but if you are enthusiastic about the prospect of gaining that experience in a highly collaborative environment, you are exactly who we want to talk to. We value engineers who are proactive, resourceful, and ready to contribute to success across the entire product lifecycle.

 

What We Offer: 

  • Competitive salary and equity. 
  • Generous benefits package including health, dental, and vision. 
  • Ongoing professional development and training opportunities. 
  • A collaborative and innovative work environment.
  • The opportunity to be part of a company at the forefront of synthetic biology and innovation. 

 

San Francisco Bay Area Pay Range 

$120,750-$147,000

 

Ansa Biotechnologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

 

At Ansa, we’re building a community of intelligent and passionate humans that will help us change biotechnology research with our enzymatic DNA synthesis technology. We believe that challenging and trusting one another, and continuously learning are essential to our success. We believe that building diverse, inclusive and psychologically safe spaces are essential to a community culture that yields the happiest colleagues and friends, and the highest quality research.

 

As we are growing rapidly, this is an ever present goal: hiring the best people while building diversity in thought, experience and background within our team. While the biotechnology space can feel limited in BIPOC, non-binary and even female representation, we endeavor to make hiring decisions that will continue to grow and support our team in the direction of cultural diversity and sustainability.

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