Mechanical Engineer (OSL Research Engineer)

Job Summary

Job Description Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is searching for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Mechanical Engineer to join the Oceanographic Systems Lab (OSL) within the Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering Department (AOPE). This is a regular full-time, exempt positions, eligible for full benefits. (OSL) is a world leader in Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology and operations in many complex oceanographic environments. Military and scientific applications of AUVs are supported by OSL including biologic and physical surveys, mapping, under-ice operations, environmental anomaly detection, filming megafauna.

OSL works with REMUS AUVs developed at WHOI, and equipment designed elsewhere, expanding capabilities of the AUVs and the sensors they supply. The OSL team operates in a creative and exciting workspace from creation of ideas to deployment in the field. The Mechanical Engineer will perform a wide range of design and fabrication tasks related to AUVs and their subsystems. The position will include both mechanical and systems engineering, with a focus on analysis of AUV dynamics and system interfaces, detailed design of mechanical systems, and integration of multiple electrical subsystems, sensors and power sources.

This position includes participation in and leadership of at-sea operations of AUVs in support of multiple programs. The successful candidate with have proven leadership skills necessary to coordinate the activities of a team of technicians and engineers through a design project or field cruise. Excellent writing and communication skills are required for team collaboration, publishing reports and papers, and writing proposals. Members of this team all spend time both in the office/lab and in the field. Field operations occur locally and at remote sites to support science, exploration, disaster response, and military research and development.

Previous missions have included oil spill response, locating black boxes and airplanes, locating shipwrecks, mapping unexplored parts of the ocean, mapping physical and biological phenomena and studying sharks and sea turtles. Past project sponsors include NSF, NOAA, Office of Naval Research, DARPA, BSEE, Discovery Channel, NAVOCEANO, NUWC, foreign governments, philanthropic organizations, and corporations. The internal working title for this position would be Research Engineer.

The final level of the position will be determined commensurate with the selected candidate’s level of education and experience Essential Functions: Develops major portions of electronic or mechanical systems with supervision consisting primarily of milestone progress reviews; frequently acts as Project Engineer on major projects; Conducts hardware developments such as new sensor techniques, autonomous battery-powered instrumentation, control systems for manned and robotic submersibles, etc.; Writes complex computer code for use in instrumentation, system modeling, and electronic design…

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