Mechanical Engineer, Adv Neural Interface

TITLE Mechanical Engineering, ANI

WORK LOCATION

In-Office 5x/week in San Diego

SALARY RANGE

$110k - $130k

About the Role We are seeking a creative, highly hands-on Mechanical Engineer to develop innovative deployment and unfurling mechanisms for Synchron's next-generation neural interfaces. This role focuses on developing mechanical solutions that enable flexible, high-channel-count microelectrode arrays to transition from compact delivery configurations into precise, functional deployed geometries. Our technology presents unique challenges in miniaturized mechanical systems, flexible materials, structural mechanics, and integration with delicate microfabricated electronics. The ideal candidate brings strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, experience developing complex mechanisms, and a passion for solving problems without established solutions. You will work closely with microfabrication, materials, electrical, and device engineering teams to develop novel mechanical architectures, rapidly prototype concepts, and advance reliable deployment technologies.

Responsibilities

Mechanical Design & Innovation

• Lead the design and development of novel folding, rolling, unfurling, and deployment mechanisms for flexible, microfabricated neural electrode arrays.
• Develop mechanical architectures that enable compact delivery and controlled, repeatable deployment into intended functional geometries.
• Explore innovative approaches involving compliant mechanisms, elastic deformation, self-expanding structures, shape-memory materials, and other advanced mechanical concepts.
• Analyze and optimize mechanical behavior during device packaging, delivery, deployment, and long-term implantation.
• Minimize mechanical stress, strain, buckling, delamination, and damage to sensitive thin-film structures and electrical interconnects.
• Develop analytical and finite element models to evaluate large deformation, nonlinear material behavior, structural stability, and mechanical failure mechanisms.
• Design, fabricate, and test prototypes to characterize deployment behavior, mechanical performance, and design feasibility.
• Develop experimental methods and test fixtures to evaluate deployment forces, repeatability, dimensional stability, and mechanical reliability.
• Collaborate with microfabrication engineers to understand the mechanical properties and constraints of multilayer polyimide-based thin-film structures.
• Evaluate advanced materials and fabrication approaches, including nitinol, polymers, elastomers, and other materials suited for miniature deployment mechanisms.
• Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, microfabrication, and packaging teams to integrate deployment mechanisms into complete implantable device systems.
• Translate early-stage concepts into robust, repeatable designs suitable for verification and manufacturing.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Applied Mechanics, or a related discipline.
• Significant hands-on experience developing complex mechanical systems, miniature devices, or innovative mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of solid mechanics, material behavior, structural design, and mechanical failure mechanisms.
• Experience designing compliant mechanisms, flexible structures, or systems involving large deformation and controlled deployment.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD and finite element analysis, including experience with nonlinear mechanical simulations.
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop, prototype, test, and refine novel mechanical concepts.
• Experience designing mechanical experiments, developing test methods, and interpreting experimental results.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing deployable, expandable, foldable, or unfurling mechanical structures.
• Experience with flexible electronics, thin-film devices, MEMS, or microfabricated structures.
• Expertise in nonlinear FEA, buckling, contact mechanics, thin-film mechanics, or large-deformation modeling.
• Experience with nitinol, shape-memory alloys, superelastic materials, or advanced compliant structures.
• Experience developing catheter-delivered devices, stents, implantable medical devices, or other minimally invasive technologies.
• Familiarity with polyimide-based material stacks and the mechanical limitations of microfabricated electronics.
• Experience with precision manufacturing, laser micromachining, microassembly, or advanced prototyping technologies.
• Experience with mechanical fatigue, accelerated reliability testing, and long-term device performance.