Mechanical Engineer

Avery Bio is a trailblazer in developing transformative technologies to solve the world’s most pressing biological and industrial challenges. We are building the world’s first fully automated genetic engineering platform—an end-to-end system that integrates novel semiconductor-based chips to scale the synthesis, assembly, and testing of genetic components in both cell-free and cellular environments. This unified platform bridges the digital and biological realms, enabling unprecedented speed and precision in bioengineering. Our mission is to revolutionize industries—from drug discovery and precision medicine to advanced materials and sustainable agriculture—by unlocking the full potential of programmable biology.

If you’re passionate about shaping the future of biotechnology and want to work at the cutting edge of science and engineering, we’d love to hear from you. Help us unlock and accelerate the engineering of life.

Mechanical Engineer

As a Mechanical Engineer on the platform engineering team, you will be a core mechanical designer for the instruments that run Avery’s transformative chip-based genetic engineering platform. You will take chip-interface hardware, thermal and fluidic subsystems, and complete benchtop instruments from concept CAD through rapid prototypes to reliable, manufacturable designs, working daily with electrical, software, microfluidics, and biology teams. This is a hands-on role for an engineer who moves fast from a sketch to built, working hardware, and who brings the design discipline to make that hardware robust and repeatable.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Design instrument subsystems and platforms as assigned: layout, detailed CAD (SolidWorks), drawings, and BOMs across chip bring-up systems, R&D development stations, and production-ready instruments.
• Design the chip-interface hardware at the heart of each system: chip clamping and alignment mechanisms, pogo-pin socketing, flow cells with gasketed sealing, and the mechanical integration of flow cell, daughterboard, and instrument.
• Design thermal management for chips and electronics: TEC-based or resistive-heater-based chip temperature control, heat sinking and airflow for on-board FPGAs and power electronics, with supporting thermal analysis and verification.
• Package fluidic subsystems into the instruments: manifolds, valves, pumps, and reagent and waste handling, with attention to serviceability and leak containment around electronics.
• Drive rapid prototyping as the default mode of work: 3D printing, quick-turn machining, and hands-on builds; bring up and debug hardware on the bench alongside the team.
• Perform tolerance stack-up analysis on critical interfaces (chip seating, sealing, electrical contact, fluidic alignment) and verify performance with measurement.
• Take designs from prototype to low-volume production: DFM/DFA, material selection, and vendor selection and management for machined, sheet-metal, and molded parts.
• Maintain design documentation: controlled drawings with GD&T, CAD and PDM revision hygiene, ECOs, and assembly procedures.
• Partner with electrical, software, microfluidics, and biology teams to integrate boards, cabling, sensors, and consumables into coherent, reliable instruments.
• Contribute to IP strategy and patent filings where relevant.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Education

Minimum of 5 years of mechanical engineering experience in life-science instruments, diagnostics, semiconductor equipment, or a similar hardware-intensive field, with proven ability to take devices from concept through working prototype to production-ready design. Background in synthetic biology or biotechnology is a plus.

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field with at least 5 years of relevant experience, or an M.S. with at least 3 years of relevant experience.
• Expert SolidWorks user: large multi-part assemblies, detailed drawings, GD&T, and PDM-based revision control.
• Demonstrated experience designing benchtop scientific instruments or comparable electromechanical systems that integrate PCBs, fluidics, sensors, and motion.
• Strong hands-on prototyping skills: 3D printing (FDM/SLA), basic machining, and the shop judgment to get parts made fast.
• Thermal design experience (TECs, heat sinks, forced-air cooling) with analysis- or simulation-backed sizing.
• Tolerance analysis and precision-alignment design experience at chip- or optics-scale interfaces.
• Sealing and gasket design experience for fluidic systems is beneficial.
• FEA or multiphysics simulation experience (SolidWorks Simulation, COMSOL) is beneficial.
• Motion systems (stages, actuators) and instrument enclosure design (sheet metal, ingress protection) experience is beneficial.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and quick-turn vendors, including quoting, inspection, and quality feedback.
• Familiarity with laboratory environments and chemical compatibility of materials with reagents and solvents is beneficial.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with a willingness to contribute in cross-disciplinary technical environments.
• Proven ability to thrive in fast-paced, start-up environments, showing flexibility, initiative, and a growth-oriented mindset.
• Salary: $80,000 - $135,000. Final salary is commensurate with experience.

Working Conditions

• Under standard working conditions, this position is based in our San Diego, CA office.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• As a critical and essential role, the candidate must be willing and able to travel to the San Diego, CA office to report to work.
• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds and perform repetitive tasks such as lifting, standing, pipetting, preparing samples, and operating equipment for extended periods.
• The candidate must be comfortable working in a laboratory environment.
• The candidate will be exposed to hazardous materials in accordance with all safety protocols and regulatory guidelines.
• This is not a hybrid role.

Avery is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.