Mechanical Engineer

Piaggio Fast Forward is seeking an entry-level or early-career mechanical engineer to assist with the design and development of urban mobility and transportation solutions, including autonomous land robots and three- and four-wheeled vehicles.

About Us

Piaggio Fast Forward was established in 2015 to develop smart mobility platforms for a world in which city navigation and short-distance transportation are rapidly changing. PFF builds lightweight and autonomous mobility platforms to efficiently move goods and people. Led by an interdisciplinary team of innovators drawn from the top ranks of the technology, design, and engineering fields, PFF was founded as a new, independent technology and design company of the Piaggio Group, the manufacturers of Vespa, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Gilera and several other scooter, motorcycle and commercial vehicle brands. Check out our website to learn more about our team that includes the director of the Harvard MetaLab, Nicholas Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab and more: www.piaggiofastforward.com.

About the Role

We’re looking for a mechanical engineer to assist us in the design and development of autonomous land robots, drones, and 3- and 4-wheeled vehicles. You will take ownership of components and subsystems used in the products PFF is creating for this exciting new marketplace. You’ll have the opportunity to create, fabricate, integrate and test hardware and systems, and be part of a team that is dedicated to creating new transportation and robotic solutions. You’ll have the support and mentorship of an experienced team of designers and engineers, but are expected to work independently.

Requirements

The position is for an early-career engineer. Recent college graduates and individuals with up to four years of experience will be considered. Candidate should have demonstrated experience with the following:

• CAD Modeling and structural and thermal analysis
  • Experience with SolidWorks and/or Autodesk Fusion 360 preferred
• Vehicle design
  • Includes robotics, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, aircraft, and/or watercraft
• Prototype component development
  • Experience with rapid prototyping/3D printing of plastic and metal parts is desirable
• Drawing creation via ISO or ANSI standards
• Electromechanical systems including motors, actuators and articulators
• Fabrication
  • Familiarity with machine tools including mills, lathes, laser cutters, and CNCs
  • Experience with metals, plastics and composite materials and manufacturing methods

Applicants must have a BS degree in mechanical engineering or related field.

Responsibilities

You’ll be part of a team working directly with senior engineering and design staff. Because we are a small and nimble team, you will have the opportunity to work with, and learn from, everyone. Some specific items include:

Mechanical Engineering Design: This will involve the creation and/or modification of CAD models and mechanical drawings and documentation, of a quality that can be used for prototype production at external vendors; simulation and analysis of components and systems; the development of bills of materials; and preparation and presentation of content to customers.

Fabrication, Integration and Testing: This will involve manufacturing, final assembly and integration of the components, and validation testing to ensure the components meet the requirements and specifications.

About You

We're looking for someone with a love of vehicles that move, both robots and transportation systems. Bonus if you get excited about what makes some ways of moving around (including materials used to make things and to keep people safe) inherently more desirable than others.

You should be a highly motivated, highly analytical self-starter with good communication skills (both written and verbal), and should be able to work in an iterative and prototype-focused development style with a cross-functional team including mechanical and electrical engineering, software development, design, human factors, fabrication and research. Ideally you’re someone who is adept at modeling and analysis tools but also hands-on and happy to turn a wrench. Familiarity with electromechanical systems such as motors and actuators is required. Another plus is experience in rapid prototyping and mechanical problem solving.

If you've been deeply involved with a collegiate design competition (solar car, FSAE, robotics, AIAA DBF), that experience will be especially relevant here. Familiarity with a variety of manufacturing processes is a great asset. Basic knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite is required. You are interested in learning the inner workings of a company and can follow instructions well when needed, diligent with deadlines and be able to manage multiple projects.

Any most importantly, you’re excited to be part of something big!