Machine Designer

Introduction

We are looking for a leader of our machine design program. See Master Prototyper and Machine Designer Invitation.

Basic Terms

• Must live on-site at Factor e Farm (accommodations are provided, applicant covers their own food)
• Full time commitment (no outside jobs or telecommuting unless specifically negotiated)
• Applicant covers travel to and from FeF
• Applicant covers their own insurance needs
• Semi-monthly blog posting on the Factor e Farm Blog according to FeF Blogging Standards
• Financial compensation based on experience and culture fit
• Alignment with open source culture
• Openness to lifelong learning

Experience

Required

• Conceptual design, CAD, and CAE of mechanical, hydraulic, and mechatronic machines
• Design-for-fabrication
• Professional (or equivalent) experience in custom fabrication and machining
  • Virtuoso or Master skill level required
• Experience with hydraulic power
  • Hydraulic pump-motor coupling, valve types, Hydrauilic Circuits, flow/power/speed calculations
• Competency with mechanical and electrical systems
  • Basic competence in small engines, electrical wiring of motors
• Experience in heavy machine operation - tractors, skid steers, backhoe, etc.
• Basic working proficiency in technical drafting or CAD
  • Reading fabrication drawings
  • basic mechanical design/machine design skills

Desirable Experience

• Fabrication experience
• Operation of agricultural, construction, fabrication, and other machines
• Human factors engineering
• Experience designing with microcontroller, CNC, and automation sustems
• CAM experience is a plus
• Teaching experience

At this stage, we are working primarily on mechanical and hydraulic designs with simple controllers and CNC additions - and we are moving in the direction of precision machine design, power electronics, and metallurgy.

Role

Main duties:

• Ongoing building of prototypes
  • Pursues design work in absence of completed designs
• Ongoing field testing of prototypes
  • Data collection, evaluation, improvements in subsequent prototypes
• Leads teams of fabricators and apprentices in prototyping and production runs
  • Develops fabrication procedure according to Fabrication Diagram method

• Keeping workshop well-organized, ergonomic, and clean
  • Develops standards for cleanliness, tool organization, workflow
• Prototype fabrication quality control
• Training our team in machine operation and tool use
• Coordinates remote fabrication teams (Flash Fab Mobs)
• Instilling a sense of pride in craftsmanship and inspiring others towards mastery
• Designing shop organization and replication strategy with management team
• Enforcing shop conduct standards covering safety, quality control, organization, and cleanliness
• Advising the Director of Learning in developing curriculum covering fabrication and machining