Job Description
The Center for Marine Autonomy and Robotics at Virginia Tech seeks a Research Associate – Mechanical Systems to provide technical leadership in the design, fabrication, integration, testing, and deployment of advanced marine robotic platforms. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), and related marine technologies supporting sponsored research initiatives.
This position requires expertise in mechanical and electromechanical system design, fabrication, systems integration, and field deployment. The Research Associate will collaborate closely with interdisciplinary teams consisting of faculty, staff, students, industry partners, and government sponsors to advance cutting-edge marine autonomy research.
This is a restricted appointment contingent upon the availability of funding, with an initial one-year term and the expectation of continued renewal based on funding availability and satisfactory performance.
Required Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Ocean Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline or or bachelor’s with + 5 years post-bachelor’s experience.
- Demonstrated experience designing mechanical and electromechanical subsystems for autonomous underwater vehicles or similar robotic platforms.
- Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks Preferred) and mechanical design tools such as FEA.
- Experience with the manufacturing of parts through techniques such as CNC machining, sheet metal bending, composites, & 3D printing.
- Experience creating and maintaining engineering documentation, including technical drawings, detailed assemblies, wiring diagrams, bills of materials, and other technical documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex technical problems involving hardware, basic software, and system integration.
- Strong experience with the use of hand and power tools.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering and research teams.
- Must be able to obtain a security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience designing unmanned underwater vehicles
- Experience planning and executing field deployments of unmanned underwater vehicles
- Experience with corrosion and mitigation techniques, buoyancy and ballast, & fundamental concepts of hydrodynamics (e.g., lift and drag).
- Experience with motors, ESCs, servos, and other electromechanical components.
- Experience in pressure vessel design.
- Experience mentoring students or junior engineers in laboratory, fabrication, or field environments.
- Experience developing manufacturing, assembly, or testing procedures for research prototypes.
- Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Restricted
Salary Information
$90,000-$120,000, Commensurate with Experience
Hours per week
40
Review Date
November 4, 2026
Additional Information
This position requires eligibility to access and handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), which requires U.S. citizenship. The position may also require the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Cole Tankersley at cpt19@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
