HERL Research Engineer II bei University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh/U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) is a collaborative venture advancing rehabilitation technology. Committed to enhancing the independence and quality of life for individuals with disabilities, HERL merges expertise from academia and the VA system. Our mission is to innovate, design, and implement cutting-edge technologies, promoting mobility, accessibility, and improved healthcare for those with disabilities. Through interdisciplinary research, HERL strives to empower individuals and shape the future of assistive technology. 

HERL regularly engages in the design and fabrication of novel medical devices, unique data collection instrumentation, and customized research setups. To build these devices, HERL has a state-of-the-art fabrication facility that includes numerous specialized machining technologies, such as CNC milling, CNC turning, laser cutter, wire EDM, 3D printing, and welding. To design and operate this sophisticated equipment, HERL employs engineers, scientists, and trades people who have specific knowledge in their use.

HERL is seeking to hire a full-time staff Biomedical Engineer at the Research Engineer II level. Responsibilities include:

• Conducting background research into problem topics, electromechanical design with CAD, Matlab, and physics simulations; data analysis with tools such as Matlab, SPSS, or Excel; software design, and project organization and documentation.  Assignments may be whole projects with assistance from others, or assisting others on a portion of a project.
   
• Physical fabrication using a wide range of traditional and CNC machine tools, assembling and troubleshooting custom made or modified devices, and data collection for both bench top and human participant experiments.  
   
• Communication and presentation of the work to internal and external stakeholders in a professional and concise manner through meetings, conference calls, invention disclosures, white papers, grant submissions, and academic publications.
   
• Assisting students, other staff, and faculty in the completion of HERL projects.  Activities may include design consulting, software training, machine operation training, data analysis consulting, reviewing and editing publications, and other professional development.  The incumbent will be expected to be responsive to customer needs and find solutions to move projects forward.
   
• Supporting engineering infrastructure ranging from large CNC mills to software repositories.  The incumbent will be expected to help with maintaining, organizing, and supplying this infrastructure.  This includes helping prepare purchase orders, assisting with equipment maintenance, communicating with external vendors, making sure files project files are properly organized for back-up, and practicing good laboratory hygiene at all times.
   
• Adherence to legal, regulatory and policy requirements required of the VA and University of Pittsburgh. This includes IRB compliance, biosafety compliance, physical security, information security, conflict of interest reporting, and financial reporting.

Assists with designing, fabricating, and maintaining research instrumentation. Assists with the development of conceptual project design and instrumentation, software programs, and data collection methods. Assists with conducting research. Conducts laboratory procedures, develops software for analysis, and implements robotic equipment protocols. Coordinates work of students and interns.

• Assists with designing, fabricating, and maintaining research instrumentation, including developing and constructing hardware instrumentation, evaluating commercial resources, methods and materials, implementing algorithms, creating software, and investigating new
  approaches and technologies.
   
• Assists with the development of conceptual project design and instrumentation, software programs, and data collection methods.
   
• Assists with conducting research, including setting up, calibrating, and operating instrumentation; perform complex data collection and analysis, maintaining research records, conducting human subject trials, and preparing protocols and reports.
   
• Conducts laboratory procedures, testing, data analysis, develops software for analysis, and implements robotic equipment protocols.
   
• Coordinates work of students/interns as directed.

Light. May be required to move objects up to 25 pounds occasionally. Work is largely performed in an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards.