R&D Systems Engineer

About Cellular Vehicles At Cellular Vehicles, our mission is to accelerate medicine's transition to cell-based therapies and ensure these therapies are available to all patients. We are developing the Odyssey System, a first-in-class automation platform for final cell therapy preparation using microfluidics, precision temperature control, fluid handling, and closed-loop automation. Odyssey is moving from pilot-stage development toward GMP readiness, customer deployments, and formal verification and validation. What We Are Looking For Cellular Vehicles is seeking a motivated, hands-on engineer to support the development, testing, and verification of the Odyssey System and disposable kits. This position will serve as a key onsite execution role within a small, multidisciplinary engineering team. The engineer will build and troubleshoot systems, prepare and run tests, develop fixtures and methods, analyze data, and produce clear technical documentation. The role will work closely with our founders, robotics and mechanical engineers, biology team, and senior experts in systems engineering, validation, quality, regulatory compliance, EMC, electrical safety, and product development. This is an ideal opportunity for an early-career engineer who wants broad ownership and hands‑on exposure to medical devices, biotech automation, system‑level testing, verification and validation, and regulated product development. Responsibilities Responsibilities may include: System development and troubleshooting Assemble, configure, debug, and maintain Odyssey instruments, subsystems, disposable kits, test fixtures, and laboratory setups. Support troubleshooting across mechanical, electrical, software, and biological systems. Assist with design changes, prototype builds, component evaluation, and system integration. Participate in engineering design reviews and document resulting actions and decisions. Work with senior engineers to identify failure modes, root causes, and corrective actions. Testing and verification Prepare and execute engineering tests, characterization studies, verification protocols, reliability testing, and pilot workflow studies. Support system-level and subsystem-level testing of equipment, software, and disposables. Develop test fixtures, methods, instrumentation setups, and data-collection tools. Support EMC, RF, electrical safety, environmental, distribution, and other product testing. Coordinate samples, systems, documentation, and logistics for testing performed by outside laboratories or certification partners. Data analysis and documentation Collect, organize, analyze, and present system performance and experimental data. Draft and maintain test plans, protocols, test records, engineering reports, and work instructions. Prepare figures, tables, summaries, and supporting materials for grants, customers, regulatory packages, and internal design reviews. Follow document-control and quality-system procedures as they are implemented across the company. Laboratory and operational support Maintain system readiness, laboratory organization, equipment records, inventory, and component documentation. Prepare instruments, disposable kits, samples, test materials, and documentation for customer pilots and internal studies. Support equipment installation, qualification, troubleshooting, and testing at Cellular Vehicles and, occasionally, at customer or partner sites. Coordinate day‑to‑day execution of tasks planned by the engineering team. Communicate progress, risks, test results, and resource needs clearly and proactively. Qualifications BS or MS in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical field. Approximately 1-3 years of relevant experience; strong internship, co‑op, academic laboratory, or project experience may qualify. Hands‑on engineering mindset and comfort working with physical systems, prototypes, laboratory equipment, instrumentation, and tools. Strong attention to detail and willingness to document work in a quality‑focused environment. Basic understanding of data collection, troubleshooting, and root‑cause analysis. Proficiency with CAD, Solidworks, Minitab, Excel, and similar data‑analysis tools. 3D printing and rapid prototyping experience. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work primarily onsite at our Palo Alto facility. Ability to work independently while receiving direction from multiple technical disciplines in a small, fast‑moving startup. Preferred Experience Electromechanical systems, robotics, automation, or laboratory equipment Medical devices, biotech equipment, or regulated product development Verification and validation, test method development, or reliability testing Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or automated data acquisition Oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, sensors, or other electrical test equipment EMC, RF, IEC 60601, UL, or NRTL testing Fluidics, pumps, valves, tubing systems, microfluidics, or single‑use disposable kits Mammalian cell processing, microscopy, flow cytometry, or biological laboratory workflows What We Offer Broad, hands‑on ownership of work that directly advances a first‑in‑class cell therapy automation platform. Exposure to engineering development, biology, V&V, EMC and safety testing, GMP readiness, regulatory planning, customer pilots, and quality‑system implementation. The opportunity to work across the full product rather than being limited to one narrow engineering discipline. Meaningful responsibility and visibility in a small, fast‑moving startup. Location Palo Alto, California Onsite role, with occasional travel to testing laboratories, suppliers, or customer sites. Job Type Full‑time Compensation And Benefits $90,000-115,000 per year, depending on education, experience, and technical fit. Benefits include company-sponsored healthcare and an early‑stage employee equity package.

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