Staff Mechatronics Engineer - LettrLabs

About Us: 

LettrLabs is a technology company at heart, with world class robotics designed, built, and operated in house, disrupting the direct mail industry with a brand new advertising medium. Paired with an advanced direct mail advertising platform (SaaS), we integrate into the broader omni-channel advertising ecosystem. We enable businesses to connect meaningfully with customers through personalized, robotically handwritten mail that vastly outperforms conventional printed pieces. Our mission is to make direct mail advertising as effortless and impactful as digital advertising.

Position Overview: As a Staff Mechatronics Engineer, you will be responsible for the architecture, design, implementation, testing, and ongoing improvement of our custom automation equipment. You’ll work across mechanical, electrical, controls, and embedded domains to deliver reliable, production-ready mechatronics systems.

This role requires a blend of high-level system thinking and low-level engineering execution. You will lead designs from concept through deployment, collaborate closely with manufacturing and operations, and continually drive performance, reliability, and throughput improvements.

You will have large, end-to-end ownership of complex electromechanical automation and robotics systems, with focus on cost, scalability and warehouse automation platform development to modernize and revolutionize an aging industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own the full lifecycle of mechatronics systems: requirements definition, architecture, design, prototyping, testing, release, and iteration.
• Design precision mechanisms, paper-handling components, motion assemblies, and supporting structures.
• Select and integrate actuators, sensors, linear motion systems, and industrial components.
• Design wiring harnesses, cable routing, sensor interfaces, and panel layouts.
• Develop control architectures including PLC logic, embedded firmware, state machines, and motion profiles.
• Apply principles of control theory, system modeling, and dynamics to achieve smooth, reliable motion.
• Collaborate with electrical engineers, machinists, software engineers, and operations teams to bring designs into production.
• Lead debugging and root-cause analysis efforts for mechanical, electrical, or firmware issues.
• Support manufacturing through documentation, build procedures, BOMs, testing protocols, and quality control.
• Drive continuous improvements in throughput, reliability, uptime, and ease of maintenance.

Qualifications:

• Insatiably curious, multidisciplinary thinker with exceptional creative problem-solving, focus on solution scalability, and a humble, highly capable, “figure-it-out” attitude.
• 10+ years engineering complex automation or mechatronic systems, with demonstrated leadership in system ownership and platform architecture.
• Strong mechanical design background with experience in mechanism/motion design, precision assemblies, and CAD proficiency (Siemens NX preferred, SolidWorks/Creo acceptable).
• Hands-on expertise across mechanical, electrical, and embedded domains typical of mechatronics:
• Experience with actuator and motor selection, motion control systems, and Sensor integration
• Electronics fundamentals (analog/digital)
• Wiring, harnessing, cable management
• Pneumatic components and system design

Proficiency with embedded programming principles:

• State machines
• RTOS fundamentals
• Basic C/C++ for microcontrollers
• Communication buses (CAN, RS-485, I2C, SPI, Modbus, EtherCAT a plus)
• Experience with industrial automation platforms (PLCs, servo drives, industrial IO).
• Strong understanding of control theory, feedback loops, PID tuning, system dynamics.
• Experience with high-performance CNC platforms a plus.
• Experience working in fast-paced, iterative engineering environments (startup or small team preferred).
• Strong problem-solving skills, ability to self-direct, and comfort managing ambiguous requirements.
• Ability to rapidly learn new technologies and domains.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.
• Non-technical:
• Strong product sense, able to see the big picture.
• Comfortable with ambiguity in requirements — driving clarity and execution.
• Quick learner and debugger, able to dive into unfamiliar systems with confidence.
• Motivated to be part of a fast-moving, high-performance team, owning big chunks of the product.

Additional Skills Worth Including:

• Experience with DFM/DFA, especially for small-batch or in-house production.
• Competence in finite element analysis (FEA) for stiffness, stress, and modal analysis.
• Comfort with thermal considerations, motor heating, and duty-cycle analysis.
• Understanding of power distribution, grounding, shielding, EMC/EMI best practices.
• Familiarity with Python or similar for scripting, automation, data logging, and testing.
• Knowledge of vision systems (simple image processing, alignment, fiducial detection) is a plus.
• Ability to build quick prototypes (3D printing, machining, hand assembly).
• Experience writing clear technical documentation, maintenance guides, and SOPs.
• Knowledge of linear rails, ball screws, belt-drives, and precision motion components.
• Experience with servo tuning, dynamic motion profiles, jerk-limited trajectories.
• Familiarity with multi-axis kinematics, calibration, homing strategies, encoder systems.
• Experience with vibration analysis, resonance mitigation, system stiffness optimization.
• Designing systems for industrial reliability, uptime, and maintainability.

What you can expect at LettrLabs:

Industry competitive salary

Unlimited PTO policy

8 company paid holidays

Why Join Us?

At Lettrlabs, you’ll be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to transforming direct mail marketing. We offer a collaborative work environment, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to make a significant impact on our growth.