Waters Corporation

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Waters Corporation$110K — $130K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field, or M.S. with 3+ years, or B.S. with 5+ years in relevant engineering environments.
  • Strong interdisciplinary engineering background with complex systems experience.
  • Proven track record in designing and developing precision mechanical or fluidic systems.
  • Hands-on experience in prototype development and iterative design refinement.
  • Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred); familiarity with NX a plus.
  • Experience with engineering analysis tools, including FEA and/or CFD.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills across technical disciplines.

Responsibilities

  • Lead mechanical design efforts for bioscience instrumentation from concept through prototype.
  • Design and develop mechanical and fluidic subsystems, including precision assemblies.
  • Drive development of high-fidelity prototypes for subsystem feasibility studies.
  • Perform mechanical and thermal analysis using engineering fundamentals and simulation tools.
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate research needs into hardware solutions.
  • Assemble, test, troubleshoot, and refine prototypes based on experimental data.
  • Document technical work through reports and design records.

Benefits

  • Opportunities for mentorship and professional growth.
  • Collaborative, inclusive team environment focused on innovation.
  • Direct impact on cutting-edge research in biosciences.
  • Access to advanced engineering tools and resources.
Full Job Description
Responsibilities
• Lead mechanical design efforts for research-stage liquid chromatography, microfluidic, and bioscience instrumentation from concept through prototype demonstration.
• Design and develop mechanical, fluidic, and electro-mechanical subsystems, including flow paths, microfluidic interfaces, sample handling components, precision assemblies, and thermal management features.
• Drive the development of high-fidelity prototypes for early-stage concepts, learning loops, and subsystem feasibility studies.
• Perform mechanical, fluidic, and thermal analysis using engineering fundamentals and simulation tools such as FEA to guide design decisions.
• Collaborate closely with scientists, chemists, biologists, electrical engineers, software engineers, and systems engineers to translate research needs into robust hardware solutions.
• Support the design of systems and components requiring careful consideration of dead volume, pressure tolerance, chemical compatibility, manufacturability, serviceability, and reliability.
• Assemble, test, troubleshoot, and refine prototypes in the lab, using experimental data to improve performance and inform future design rules.
• Contribute to ideation, concept generation, and technical scouting for emerging technologies in fluidics, separations, consumables, and bioscience workflows.
• Incorporate Voice of the Customer (VoC) and user workflow understanding into design decisions where appropriate.
• Document technical work through engineering reports, functional specifications, design records, and intellectual property disclosures.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and innovation-driven team environment.

Qualifications
• PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field, or M.S. with 3+ years, or B.S. with 5+ years in research, advanced development, or instrumentation-focused engineering environments. Advanced degree preferred.
• Strong interdisciplinary engineering background with experience working on complex systems in research or advanced development environments.
• Demonstrated success in the design and development of precision mechanical and/or fluidic systems.
• Hands-on experience with prototype development, testing, troubleshooting, and iterative design refinement.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD, preferably SolidWorks; familiarity with NX is a plus.
• Experience with engineering analysis tools, including FEA and/or CFD.
• Familiarity with GD&T, tolerance analysis, and precision mechanical design practices.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across technical disciplines.

Key Experience
• Experience in liquid chromatography, microfluidics, life science instrumentation, consumables, sample preparation, or bioscience-related hardware development.
• Experience designing components or subsystems involving fluid handling, valves, fittings, seals, manifolds, chip interfaces, cartridges, or low-volume flow paths.
• Familiarity with bio-compatible materials, chemically resistant materials, and design constraints associated with biological or analytical samples.
• Background in instrument miniaturization, precision assemblies, additive manufacturing, or advanced materials.
• Experience working alongside scientists in bioscience, analytical chemistry, or advanced technology development settings.
• Exposure to coding or data-analysis tools such as C++, Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW is a plus.
• Familiarity with technical publications, patent generation, and structured documentation.

Desired Skills
• Strong technical curiosity and creativity in solving multidisciplinary engineering challenges.
• Ability to balance innovation with practical design considerations such as robustness, usability, and manufacturability.
• Independent work ethic with a proactive, hands-on approach to prototype development and problem solving.
• Strong collaboration and mentorship skills.
• Clear decision-making and analytical thinking in ambiguous research environments.
• Advanced analytical and decision-making abilities.

We know that sometimes the perfect candidate does not exist, and that people can be put off applying for a job if they do not fit all the requirements. If you are excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we are looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need!

About Waters Corporation

Waters Corporation is a publicly traded Analytical Laboratory instrument and software company headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts. The company designs, manufactures, sells and services high performance liquid chromatography, ultra performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry technology systems and support products primarily in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Asia. The company's products are used by pharmaceutical, life science, biochemical, industrial, academic and government organizations working in research and development, quality assurance and other laboratory applications. Waters Corporation's products are sold worldwide through a direct sales force and independent distributors.
Learn more about Waters Corporation
Size
7,800 employees
Market Cap
$20.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$521.5 million
Founded
1905
5 Year Trend
+5.1%
Revenue
$2.3 billion
NASDAQ

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