Mechanical Product Engineer (Wearable Medical Device)

Location: Austin, TX (Hybrid / In-Person Preferred)

Commitment: 10–20 hours/week (Contract)

About the Project

We are developing a next-generation wearable posture support device designed to help older adults (65+) maintain healthy posture, reduce fatigue, and remain active longer.

Unlike a traditional posture brace or rigid exoskeleton, this device combines orthopedic principles, mechanical design, and wearable robotics to create a comfortable assistive device that people can wear throughout the day.

We are looking for an experienced engineer to help us rapidly prototype, test, and iterate the first working prototype.

**We're looking for an experienced builder, not just a CAD designer.

This role is ideal for someone who has already designed and assembled physical products—whether through industry experience, graduate research, robotics teams, Formula SAE, startup hardware, or extensive personal projects. We value hands-on prototyping experience and the ability to iterate quickly from concept to working hardware.

What You'll Do

• Convert product concepts into manufacturable CAD models.
• Design mechanical components optimized for FDM 3D printing.
• Build assemblies using a combination of custom 3D-printed parts and off-the-shelf components.
• Source hardware, bearings, fasteners, springs, cables, and other prototype components.
• Assemble and refine physical prototypes.
• Participate in design reviews and iterate quickly based on testing and user feedback.
• Help prepare the design for eventual transition to a professional product development firm.

Qualifications

We're looking for someone who enjoys building real products, not just creating CAD models.

Preferred experience includes:

• Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, Robotics, Biomedical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field.
• Strong CAD experience (Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Onshape, Creo, or similar).
• Experience designing parts for 3D printing.
• Hands-on experience assembling mechanical prototypes.
• Familiarity with bearings, hinges, springs, fasteners, Bowden cables, and lightweight mechanical systems.
• Experience with wearable devices, medical devices, robotics, consumer hardware, or assistive technology is a strong plus.

Graduate students, PhD students, recent graduates, and experienced engineers are all encouraged to apply. Applicants with prior prototype development experience will be given preference.

Nice to Have

• FDM 3D printing experience (PETG, Nylon, Carbon Fiber, TPU)
• CAM or CNC experience
• Basic electronics or Arduino/ESP32 experience
• Human-centered design or biomechanics experience
• Medical device or orthopedic product experience

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 6–8 weeks, we expect to:

• Complete CAD models for the first prototype.
• Assemble a functional wearable prototype.
• Iterate through multiple design revisions based on physical testing.
• Develop a validated prototype ready for engagement with professional product development partners.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to help create a product that could significantly improve quality of life for older adults. You'll work directly with the founders, have substantial influence on the design, and see your work quickly become a physical product through rapid prototyping and testing.