Manager, Mechanical Engineering at Covaris

Covaris, LLC (www.covaris.com) is a rapidly growing, profitable technology company headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA, with European operations located in Brighton, UK. Covaris has developed a proprietary and patented Adaptive Focused Acoustics™ (AFA) technology platform utilized in sample preparation processes in the analytical and life sciences industries. Covaris AFA has become the Scientist’s Standard for DNA fragmenting in the Next-Gen Sequencing market and is employed by major genome centers worldwide.

Covaris AFA and our other proprietary products offer unique competitive advantages for scientists in Genomics, Proteomics, and Chromatin research. Our AFA technology enables high-throughput, automated pre-analytical processes across multiple research applications using our instruments, consumables, and reagents.

Summary:

This role offers an exciting opportunity for a collaborative individual to work in a fast-paced environment on the development of complex electromechanical instruments, specialized plastic consumables, and hardware accessories for increasing laboratory automation. As part of the Covaris Engineering R&D team, this individual will manage a small group of Mechanical Engineers engaged in new product development and sustaining engineering projects. This high-visibility role reports directly to the Director of Engineering R&D and involves both leadership and hands-on technical work, including brainstorming, design reviews, and establishing best practices.

This position will be located in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and mentor a team of Mechanical Engineers, providing direction, performance reviews, and setting clear goals and objectives for team members, ensuring their professional development.
• Lead group-driven projects and contribute to cross-functional projects, ensuring designs meet user and business needs while meeting critical path milestones and business objectives on time and within budget.
• Provide individual contributions to fill skill and resource gaps as needed to ensure project success.
• Contribute to requirements generation, risk analysis, and other project deliverables.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve product designs, streamline processes, and contribute to new product development and legacy system support.
• Ensure all work is documented according to regulatory and quality frameworks, and engineering changes are properly recorded through change processes.
• Support the formalization of a stage-gate development process and best practices in mechanical engineering.
• Lead structured problem-solving activities, brainstorming sessions, and design reviews.
• Oversee mechanical lab operations, including managing 3D printers, prototyping equipment, and any temporary contractors or outsourced work.
• Prepare project plans, workload estimates, budget requests, and weekly status reports for executive review.
• Work with the Director of Engineering and Senior Management to set strategic direction for new product and legacy system support.
• Ensure proper onboarding for new hires and ensure lab equipment is updated and properly maintained.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, with a proven track record of managing, developing, and leading engineering teams in a project leadership or management role.
• Demonstrated expertise in mechanical design, product development, and manufacturing processes, with a strong understanding of complex engineering systems.
• Experience as a lead engineer on the development of instruments or complex electromechanical sub-assemblies, with a proven ability to execute product development from concept to release in a regulated environment.
• Strong project and team management skills, with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization and external partners.
• Proficiency in SOLIDWORKS, stack-up tolerance analysis, and familiarity with ISO 13485, CE/UL/CSA/EU regulatory requirements, and ASME & ASTM test standards.
• Experience with FMEA, DOE, DFX, and other structured problem-solving methods.
• BS or MS degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Able to travel up to 10% for domestic customer and vendor visits.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Cross-functional prototyping experience, including collaboration with software, electronics, and other teams.
• Experience with scripting or programming for data analysis or system prototyping (Python experience a plus).
• Proficiency with analysis tools such as FEA, CFD, or system dynamics, and the ability to execute or mentor team members in these areas.
• General understanding of design principles and fabrication processes, including sheet metal and injection molding.
• Experience designing plastic components and using commercial 3D printers.
• Knowledge of biotechnology and bioengineering instrumentation, particularly NGS, PCR, or DNA sequencers.
• Familiarity with structured problem-solving methods, such as A3, Fishbone, or Six-Step.

Reasonable Accommodation: Covaris is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We aim to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favorable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, color, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability. We also aim to guarantee that all appointments are made purely on the basis of merit.

Category: Exempt