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Postdoctoral Associate Robot Design Fab

Drexel


Job Location:

Philadelphia, PA - USA

Yearly Salary: $ 60240 - 90350
Posted: 22 August 2026 (Yesterday)
Application Deadline: 19 November 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Job Summary

A postdoctoral position in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics is being offered to support research in bio-inspired underwater robotics with a focus on the design fabrication and integration of multi-limbed swimming systems.

This position is grant-funded; employment is contingent upon the continued availability of those funds.

Essential Functions

  • Mechanical design and development of bio-inspired robotic platforms including structural components actuation systems and waterproofing strategies for underwater operation.
  • Lead the fabrication assembly and iterative refinement of robotic systems ensuring reliable performance in experimental environments including integration of mechanical electrical and sensing subsystems into cohesive platforms for testing and validation.
  • Work closely with modeling and control efforts to translate design requirements into physical systems and support experimental campaigns. Responsibilities also include diagnosing system-level performance issues improving robustness and enabling repeatable experimental operation.
  • Supervise undergraduate and graduate student research related to robotic design fabrication and system integration providing guidance on prototyping testing and hardware development.
  • Contribute to the preparation of research proposals present findings at conferences and technical meetings and publish results in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

  • Minimum of a PhD or Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering or related field orthe equivalent combination of education and work experience(Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information).
  • Minimum of 0-3 years of experience.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Strong mechanical design experience for robotic systems including CAD of complex assemblies.
  • Hands-on experience with fabrication and rapid prototyping (3D printing machining composites).
  • Experience designing for underwater operation (sealing waterproofing material selection).
  • Familiarity with actuator selection and integration for multi-DoF systems.
  • Experience integrating mechanical electrical and sensing subsystems.
  • Experience with experimental testing debugging and iterative hardware development.
  • Familiarity with embedded systems is desirable.
  • Experience with ROS/ROS2 or similar frameworks is a plus.

Physical Demands

  • Typically sitting at a desk/table
  • Typically standing walking

Location

  • University City - Philadelphia PA

Additional Information
This position is classified as Exempt grade K. Compensation for this grade ranges from$60240.00 - $90350.00 per year. Please note that the offered rate for thisposition will vary based on thesuccessful candidates qualifications and experience department budget and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and CompensationGuidelines & Policies for more details on Drexels compensation information about benefits please review Drexels Benefits Brochure.

Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.


Required Experience:

IC


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Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA is an academically comprehensive and globally engaged urban research university, dedicated to advancing knowledge and society and to providing every student with a valuable, rigorous, experiential, technology-infused education, enriched by the nat ... View more

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