Senior Robotics Hardware Engineer, Solar Innovation

AES - Arlington, VA

Full-time - Senior

Arlington, VA

251-500 employees

Utilities

About the position

The Senior Robotics Hardware Engineer will play a crucial role in the Maximo team at AES Corporation, focusing on the development of advanced robotics systems for solar module installation. This position involves leading the design, development, and integration of complex robotics hardware, ensuring alignment with the company's vision and product roadmap. The engineer will be responsible for mechanical design, prototyping, testing, and providing technical leadership, all while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive innovation in solar energy production.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design and development of advanced robotic systems, including components, subsystems, and assemblies, ensuring high quality, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Develop, design, or modify mechanical engineering layouts/schematics and/or detailed drawings/specifications of difficult scope.
• Translate product level requirements into subsystem/module/component technical design criteria.
• Perform detailed mechanical design and analysis, including stress analysis, tolerance analysis, and motion analysis.
• Own engineering release of subsystem design including component and module CAD (Computer Aided Design), Drawings, and BOMs (Bill of Materials).
• Develop and capture knowledge required to deliver subsystem level excellence through Design Guides, FMEA (Failure Mode Effect Analysis), DVP&R (Design Verification Plan and Report), A3's, Tolerance Stack Ups, and other documents.
• Derive from the Product and capability roadmaps a technical plan enabling expected performance and specifications.
• Coordinate prototype build plans to evaluate design concepts through physical lab testing.
• Apply systems safety methodologies as defined by industry standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including electrical engineers, software engineers, and control engineers, to ensure seamless integration of mechanical components.
• Oversee the prototyping, testing, and validation of mechanical designs.
• Optimize designs for manufacturability, cost-effectiveness, and performance.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning.
• Stay up to date with the latest advancements in robotics and mechanical engineering to drive innovation and improve product performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in hardware design and development of robotic systems.
• Proven track record of successfully delivering complex robotic systems to market.
• Expert knowledge of mechanical design principles, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Creo, NX).
• Demonstrated ability, either through previous projects, advanced education/research, and/or knowledge of the robotics field.
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance (e.g., CE, FCC, UL), safety standards, risk assessment, product definition (sensors, power and electronics components).
• Capability to work dynamically and collaboratively across multiple teams in a fast-paced and technical business environment with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Results-oriented, 'can-do' attitude, and 'get things done' mentality; comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity; no compromise on attention to quality and details.
• Demonstrated ability to understand solar engineering and technology concepts, question assumptions, and make informed product and technology decisions.

Nice-to-haves

• Technical understanding of automation, robotics, computer vision, machine learning and/or artificial intelligence.