Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer – Scientific Instrumentation
agilent · US-CA-Santa Clara, United States
Job DescriptionAgilent inspires and supports discoveries that advance quality of life. We provide laboratories worldwide with instruments, services, consumables, applications, and expertise that help customers gain the answers and insights they seek. We are seeking a Senior R&D Mechanical Engineer for the development of advanced scientific instrumentation in Santa Clara. This role combines hands-on engineering depth with broad technical leadership across precision mechanisms, vacuum-compatible assemblies, thermal management, materials selection, packaging, and design for manufacturing and service.
Key Responsibilities- Lead mechanical architecture and detailed design for complex scientific instruments, subsystems, prototypes, fixtures, and test hardware from concept through release.
- Convert scientific, system, and customer-use requirements into practical mechanical concepts, specifications, tolerance schemes, and verified designs.
- Apply advanced understanding of material properties, including thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, stiffness, strength, corrosion resistance, chemical compatibility, outgassing, cleanliness, and long-term stability.
- Select materials, finishes, adhesives, fasteners, seals, and manufacturing processes appropriate for laboratory, vacuum, high-voltage, thermal, and contamination-sensitive environments.
- Expert at creating and maintaining accurate 3D models, assemblies, drawings, bills of material, and configuration-controlled design documentation using enterprise MCAD and product-lifecycle-management systems.
- Perform or direct thermal, structural, tolerance, fit, and stack-up analyses; use engineering calculations and simulation to guide design decisions and reduce technical risk.
- Design for manufacturability, assembly, reliability, serviceability, cost, safety, and compliance while balancing instrument performance and schedule.
- Plan and execute prototype builds, design verification, root-cause investigations, and corrective actions; document conclusions and recommendations with clear technical evidence. Ability to present designs and corrective actions to team.
- Partner with scientists, electrical engineers, software engineers, manufacturing, quality, procurement, suppliers, and service teams to resolve cross-functional integration issues.
- Lead technical reviews, communicate risks and tradeoffs to stakeholders, and serve as an escalation point for complex mechanical problems.
- Mentor engineers and technicians, establish sound design practices, and contribute reusable methods, standards, and lessons learned across programs.
QualificationsMinimum Qualifications- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
- At least 8 years of professional mechanical design experience delivering complex hardware products, with demonstrated depth and independence consistent with an Expert-level role.
- Demonstrated ability to solve ambiguous, complex, and high-impact design problems with limited direction.
- Strong knowledge of engineering materials and their behavior under thermal and mechanical loading, including heat conduction and thermal expansion.
- Experience designing equipment for laboratory or scientific use, with attention to cleanliness, chemical exposure, temperature, humidity, vibration, transportation, and normal operating conditions.
- Experience producing engineering drawings and applying geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance analysis, and design-release practices.
- Experience working with machined, sheet-metal, molded, fabricated, rapid 3D printed part and purchased components and with external suppliers.
- Ability to communicate technical decisions clearly and collaborate effectively across scientific, engineering, manufacturing, quality, and service functions.
Preferred Qualifications- Advanced proficiency with Siemens NX or a comparable parametric 3D CAD platform; Teamcenter or other PLM experience.
- Experience with thermal and structural finite-element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, or tools such as Simcenter FloEFD.
- Design experience involving analytical instruments, mass spectrometry, chromatography, spectroscopy, diagnostics, semiconductor equipment, or other precision scientific systems.
- Experience with high- or ultra-high-vacuum hardware, precision ion-optics or charged-particle assemblies, turbo molecular and rough vacuum pumps, vacuum feedthroughs, seals, gas-flow control valves, components, pneumatic system control and contamination-sensitive designs.
- Knowledge of low-outgassing materials in UHV, HV environment thermal isolation and heat dissipation, high-voltage clearances, electromagnetic effects, cable routing,electronics packaging and PCB technologies
- Expertise in selecting and specifying of thermal management components like heaters with temperature sensors in atmospheric and vacuum environments. Knowledgeable in heating technology, cartridge heaters, resistive heating and gas heating for high purity environments including the control thereof.
- History of technical leadership on major projects, invention or patent contributions, supplier collaboration, and mentoring engineers or technicians.
Additional Details
This job has a full time weekly schedule. Applications for this job will be accepted until at least October 28, 2026 or until the job is no longer posted.
The full-time equivalent pay range for this position is $153,823.00 - $269,550.00/yr plus eligibility for bonus, stock and benefits. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. During the hiring process, a recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for a preferred location. Pay and benefit information by country are available at: https://careers.agilent.com/locations
Agilent Technologies, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity and merit-based employer that values individuals of all backgrounds at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, religion or religious creed, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, local law, ordinance, or regulation and will not be discriminated against on these bases. Agilent Technologies, Inc., is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive in the workplace where everyone is welcome, and strives to support candidates with disabilities. If you have a disability and need assistance with any part of the application or interview process or have questions about workplace accessibility, please email job_posting@agilent.com or contact +1-262-754-5030. For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please visit www.agilent.com/en/accessibility.
Travel Required: Occasional
Shift: Day
Duration: No End Date
Job Function: R&D