Sr Research Associate, Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics - Military Veterans

Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors > http://bit.ly/UCEMPL

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation's best urban public research universities. Home to 53,235 students, more than 11,000 faculty and staff and 350,000+ living alumni, UC combines a Top 35 public research university with a physical setting The New York Times calls "the most ambitious campus design program in the country."

With the launch of Next Lives Here, the Cincinnati Innovation District, a $100 million JobsOhio investment, three straight years of record enrollment, worldwide leadership in cooperative education, a dynamic academic health center and entry into the Big 12 Conference, UC's momentum has never been stronger. UC's annual budget stands at $1.85 billion, and its endowment totals nearly $1.8 billion.

Job Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled and hands-on Research Associate or Engineer to join our research team at the Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Systems (IRAS) Lab at the University of Cincinnati. The candidate will collaborate with faculty, graduate students, and other researchers to design, develop, and test advanced robotic or mechatronic systems. This role involves substantial hands-on work, from concept development to hardware fabrication, and requires expertise in both mechanical and electrical designs. The candidate will contribute to both research and the prototyping of innovative robotic solutions for real-world applications. This is a research grants funded position and hence, the continuation of this position will be based on the availability of research funds. Since the position is funded by research grants from the US Space Force, only US citizens are eligible for the position.

Essential Functions

• Work with the IRAS Lab director and graduate students to conceptualize and prototype robotic systems.
• Design and fabricate mechanical components for robots, including custom frames, mounts, grippers, and other components.
• Utilize CAD tools to model and support the design of robotic parts and assemblies.
• Develop, build, and integrate robotic hardware systems, including actuators, sensors, microcontrollers, and custom electronic circuits.
• Use prototyping methods such as 3D printing, CNC machining, and laser cutting to rapidly iterate on hardware designs.
• Support software integration and testing for robotic systems (using languages such as Python, C++, and ROS).
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair hardware and driving software for ongoing research project.
• Conduct experimental testing to evaluate robotic functions, performance, ensuring reliability and robustness of designs.
• Provide technical guidance and hands-on training to undergraduate and graduate students working in the lab environment.
• Manage and maintain the lab equipment, including robots, measurement instruments, sensors, and prototyping tools.

Required Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or engineering technology.

Required Experience

Three (3) years of experience in related field, process or discipline.

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Master's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or mechatronics.
• Experience of working in academic or research labs with robotics hardware.
• Knowledge of practical feedback control methods and robot kinematics.
• Experience of working with machine learning, computer vision, or autonomous systems.
• Publications or contributions to robotics research, focusing on hardware design and experimentation.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers a wide array of complementary and affordable benefit options, to meet the financial, educational, health, and wellness needs of you and your family. Eligibility varies by position and FTE.

• Competitive salary range dependent on the candidate's experience.
• Comprehensive insurance plans including medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts and an award-winning employee wellness program, plus an employee assistance program.
• Financial security via our life and long-term disability insurance, accident and illness insurance, and retirement savings plans.
• Generous paid time off work options including vacation, sick leave, annual holidays, and winter season days in addition to paid parental leave.
• Tuition remission is available for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Enjoy discounts for on and off-campus activities and services.

As a UC employee, and an employee of an Ohio public institution, if hired you will not contribute to the federal Social Security system, other than contributions to Medicare. Instead, UC employees have the option to contribute to a state retirement plan (OPERS, STRS) or an alternative retirement plan (ARP).

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our careers page at https://www.uc.edu/careers.html .

For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact Human Resources at jobs@uc.edu .

The University of Cincinnati is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQ: 97260

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