Mechanical Engineer (Ph.D.)

About Exponent

Exponent is the only premium engineering and scientific consulting firm with the depth and breadth of expertise to solve our clients’ most profoundly unique, unprecedented, and urgent challenges.  

 

Our vision is to engage multidisciplinary teams of science, engineering, and regulatory experts to empower clients with solutions that create a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. For over five decades, we've connected the lessons of past failures with tomorrow's solutions to advise clients as they innovate technologically complex products and processes, ensure the safety and health of their users, and address the challenges of sustainability.  

 

Join our team of experts with degrees from top programs at over 500 universities and extensive experience spanning a variety of industries. At Exponent, you’ll contribute to the diverse pool of ideas, talents, backgrounds, and experiences that drives our collaborative teamwork and breakthrough insights. Plus, we help you grow your career through mentoring, sponsorship, and a culture of learning. Thanks for your interest in joining our team!   

 

Key statistics: 

• 950+ Consultants 
• 640+ Ph.D.s 
• 90+ Disciplines 
• 30+ Offices globally 

Our Opportunity

We are currently seeking a Mechanical Engineer for our Mechanical Engineering Practice in our Boston area office in Natick, MA. In this role, you will be responsible for analyzing a wide variety of mechanical and material failures, often by designing and building custom mechatronic test systems to replicate real-world incidents or assess long-term product reliability. Your work will support a diverse range of products, from consumer electronics and medical devices to emerging applications in robotics and physical AI. You will be expected to grow in the key aspects of consulting, including technical expertise and effective spoken and written communications, to develop a consulting practice serving clients both within and outside the firm.

You will be responsible for

• Conducting hands-on analyses of mechanical equipment failures to understand what happened and the cause of the failure in collaboration with experts in other engineering disciplines
• Creating written reports and presentations and presenting these communications to both technical and non-technical clients
• Supporting an expansive internal client base that works collaboratively to solve complex, real-world problems associated with various types of mechanical equipment
• Designing, building, and validating custom mechatronic test fixtures for incident recreation, durability, and reliability studies. This includes programming controllers, integrating sensors and actuators, and developing closed-loop control systems to produce robust, regulatory-grade data.
• Interpreting and clearly communicating the results of complex computational analyses (e.g., FEA/CFD) to clients, legal teams, and regulatory bodies.
• Applying mechanical engineering principles to assess the reliability and safety of robotic and automated systems, including those in physical AI workflows.
• Performing calculations and analyses, creating written reports and presentations, and performing field inspections

You will have the following skills and qualifications

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, with an emphasis on mechatronics, robotics, physical AI, or control systems
• Completion of formal coursework in machine design, mechanics of materials, and control systems
• Experience performing failure analysis and/or fatigue analysis
• Strong aptitude for interpreting results from computational platforms (e.g., FEA, CFD) and a working knowledge of associated numerical analysis tools such as MATLAB or Python
• Demonstrated hands-on experience designing and building electromechanical or mechatronic systems, including specifying components like motors and load cells and utilizing platforms like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or LabVIEW for data acquisition and control
• Experience with engineering drawings and/or CAD
• Experience with mechanical design
• Hands-on work or research experience
• Willing to work in new technical areas
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Ability to work within project teams
• Potential for technical and project managerial leadership
• Interest in developing a client base
• Willingness to travel
• Presently legally authorized to work in the United States. No immigration sponsorship or processing required. 

 

Applicants are encouraged to submit a CV (Curriculum Vitae) with pub