We’re Blue River, a team of innovators driven to radically change agriculture by creating intelligent machinery. We empower our customers - farmers - to implement more sustainable solutions: optimize chemical usage, reimagining routine processes, and improving farming yields year after year. We believe that focusing on the small stuff – pixel-by-pixel and plant-by-plant - leads to big gains. By partnering with John Deere, we are innovating computer vision, machine learning, robotics and product management to solve monumental challenges for our customers.

Our people are at the heart of what we do. Through cross-discipline collaboration, this mission-driven and daring team is eager to define the new frontier of agricultural robotics. We are always asking hard questions, rapidly iterating, and getting our boots in the field to figure it out. We won’t give up until we’ve made a positive and tangible impact on agriculture. 

Position Summary: 

As a Sr. Mechatronics Engineer, you will work on the deployment of SEE AND SPRAY by managing the mechanical design through its lifecycle, partnering with key stakeholders to bring this concept to life. This role is multi-team, multi-disciplinary with high visibility and will have a large impact on the future of precision agriculture. Our teams are empowered to figure out how to overcome challenges, plan and prioritize work – everyone is a key contributor.

Position Responsibility:

This person will serve as the mechanical lead for Blue River, delivering first article prototype designs, PLM & PDM management, release to production design teams, and bringing up both prototype and production systems. 

This person will influence and inform all change control across the organization, ensuring teams are aligned with current and future revisions. The ideal candidate will have system-level curiosity, enjoy a fast-paced environment and will deliver results regardless of challenges. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Design first article concepts in Solidworks and manage components in Blue River PDM system
• Release parts to Creo and manage components in Windchill PLM. 
• Iterate designs in Creo and Windchill 
• Manage prototype manufacturing vendors for first article and low volume concepts
• Detailed management of Bills of Materials, including management for international shipping

Required Experience: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics or a related field
• 2+ years of relevant professional experience in high tech vehicle, robotic, or agricultural systems
• Experience with design, manufacture, and debugging of mechatronic systems involving sensing, actuating, and/or computing
• Experience with design and manufacture of sheet metal assemblies and enclosures
• Strong CAD/PDM proficiency (preferably in SolidWorks AND Creo)
• Excellent brainstorming, creative thinking skills, and communication skills, both engineering facing and customer facing
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• Willingness to travel and provide hands-on support both regionally and internationally
• Ability to operate effectively and autonomously across multiple teams in situations of ambiguity, with only high level direction
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• Independent, results-oriented, and able to set and meet schedules in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• Solid understanding of how software complexity affects mechanical design

Preferred Skills: 

• 5+ years mechatronics experience
• Advanced engineering degree
• ROS, Python, and C++ experience
• Knowledge of Linux and/or real-time operating systems
• Design of agricultural equipment/machinery, hydraulic, and/or pneumatic systems
• Experience designing opto-electro-mechanical systems including motion control, vision systems, lasers and general optics design

Blue River offers competitive compensation and benefits, including a great 401(K) match. We believe in a work life balance and offer generous Paid Time Off and Sick Leave as well as Paid Parental Leave and an adoption benefit. Subsidized lunches, flexible work hours, CalTrain passes (with mobile Wi-Fi!) and a collaborative and supportive environment also contribute to making Blue River a great place to work.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

We support each employee living a full life, enabling a thriving career and accomplishing a meaningful, challenging mission with incredible people.

We have designed our work environment to allow us each to do our work effectively, be our best selves, and be exposed to the unexpected connections and experiences that support creative innovation - all while leaving room for the other things you love.

The US base salary range for this position is $152 ,000 - $238,000, along with eligibility for Blue River’s bonus and benefit programs. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. During the recruitment process, we may identify an alternative role or level which you are more suited. If your ideal role at Blue River differs from the advertised position, we will provide an updated pay range as soon as possible during the hiring process.