Director of Mechanical Engineering

Position Overview

The Director of Mechanical Engineering will lead the company’s Mechanical Engineering Department and be responsible for the mechanical and opto-mechanical development of the company’s medical-grade wearable devices.

This is a senior leadership position combining departmental management, technical leadership, and hands-on involvement in complex multidisciplinary product development. The Director will oversee mechanical engineering activities throughout the entire product lifecycle - from concept development and feasibility through detailed design, verification, design transfer, and production.

Because the product is worn for extended periods, the role requires proven experience in industrial design, ergonomics, and human-factors engineering. The Director will be responsible for ensuring that the product is comfortable, intuitive, safe, and suitable for prolonged use by a wide range of users. This includes careful consideration of fit, adjustability, weight, balance, pressure distribution, thermal comfort, usability, and interaction with the user.

The department’s scope also includes the mechanical integration of optical components and systems, such as lens mounts, optical housings, optical benches, alignment mechanisms, calibration fixtures and jigs, and other high-precision opto-mechanical assemblies. The role does not require ownership of optical design but requires strong experience in designing mechanical systems that support, position, align, protect, and maintain the performance of optical components.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, mentor, and develop the Mechanical Engineering Department, including team structure, recruitment, resource allocation, performance management, and professional development.
• Establish the department’s technical strategy, priorities, engineering processes, working methods, and long-term capabilities.
• Provide technical leadership across all mechanical, opto-mechanical, industrial-design, ergonomic, and human-factors activities.
• Oversee the design, analysis, prototyping, testing, verification, and transfer to production of mechanical systems, components, and assemblies.
• Lead the industrial design and mechanical architecture of wearable products, ensuring an effective balance between functionality, comfort, usability, appearance, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Ensure that the product is suitable for prolonged use, with particular attention to weight and center-of-gravity distribution, facial and head pressure points, fit, adjustability, thermal comfort, user interaction, cleaning, and compatibility with the intended clinical environment.
• Lead the mechanical integration of optical components, including lens holders, optical mounts, housings, optical benches, alignment mechanisms, calibration fixtures, and precision assembly solutions.
• Ensure that opto-mechanical designs meet applicable requirements for alignment, dimensional stability, tolerances, thermal behavior, environmental conditions, manufacturability, serviceability, and reliability.
• Work closely with optical specialists and suppliers, where applicable, to translate product requirements into robust mechanical designs and manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with electronics, optics, software, systems, operations, quality, regulatory, and clinical teams to ensure successful integration and delivery of the complete product.
• Lead design reviews, tolerance analyses, risk assessments, root-cause investigations, and technical problem-solving activities.
• Drive Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/DFA), cost optimization, supplier selection, tooling development, and production-readiness activities.
• Support the transition of products from development to manufacturing, including supplier engagement, production-process development, engineering documentation, and resolution of manufacturing issues.
• Manage departmental plans, schedules, budgets, external consultants, industrial-design partners, and engineering suppliers.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• At least 10 years of experience in mechanical product development, preferably involving complex, multidisciplinary products.
• At least 5 years of experience managing mechanical engineering teams or departments, including direct management of engineers, technical leads, or engineering managers.
• Proven experience leading products through the full development lifecycle - from concept and architecture through detailed design, verification, design transfer, and serial production.
• Proven experience in industrial design, ergonomics, and human-factors engineering, including wearable products, head-mounted devices, or other highly regulated, user-facing, high-precision products.
• Strong experience in opto-mechanical design and the mechanical integration of optical components and assemblies.
• Strong understanding of precision mechanics, tolerance analysis, materials, manufacturing processes, thermal management, environmental stability, and product reliability.
• Advanced knowledge of SolidWorks, as well as relevant simulation and engineering-analysis tools.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers, suppliers, tooling vendors, industrial-design partners, and production engineering teams.
• Familiarity with medical-device quality systems, design controls, usability engineering, risk management, and relevant standards - particularly IEC 62366 - is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary development programs, make sound technical decisions, and resolve complex engineering challenges.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to balance strategic departmental leadership with detailed technical involvement when required.