Mechanical Design Engineer (CAD)

These are exciting times at EMBL Grenoble. We are looking to strengthen our development team with an enthusiastic CAD Engineer. The Instrumentation Team develops high-precision instruments dedicated to Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography (MX), Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), and Cryo-Electron Microscopy/Tomography (Cryo-EM/ET). These long-term development projects encompass the mechanical and electrical design of scientific instruments, their manufacturing and assembly, cabling, and the development of high- and low-level control software. Our instruments are deployed at leading international research facilities, and their maintenance and continuous  improvement are ensured by members of the team. To support our growing activities, we are seeking to recruit a CAD Engineer.

Your role 

You will join a diverse team of scientists, engineers, and technicians. Under the supervision of the team leader, you will contribute to the design, upgrade, and maintenance of advanced scientific instruments. As part of ongoing collaborations with the ESRF, you will work closely with technical and scientific staff and regularly intervene on partner beamlines. Short periods of work at the EMBL Hamburg and Heidelberg sites may also be required. 

Your responsibilities will include

• Computer-aided design of new robotic and mechatronic systems operating in highly constrained environments, including cryogenic and vacuum conditions.
• Mechanical design and optimisation of precision components and assemblies.
• Follow-up of manufacturing activities, both through the in-house workshop and external suppliers.
• Mechanical assembly, integration, and commissioning of new instruments.
• Preparation and maintenance of technical documentation and manufacturing drawings.
• Close collaboration with engineers, scientists, technicians, and external partners throughout the development process.

Meeting project deadlines while delivering industrial-quality designs and documentation will be a key aspect of the role.

You have 

Technical Skills

• An advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, CAD Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related discipline.
• Strong experience with CAD software, ideally SolidWorks, including simulation and analysis tools.
• Experience designing systems for vacuum and cryogenic environments.
• Experience in precision mechanical design.
• Basic knowledge of physics, electronics, and optics.
• Good understanding of manufacturing methods, tolerancing, and assembly processes.

Personal Skills

• Proactive and self-motivated.
• Able to present and justify technical solutions.
• Strong team player with excellent collaboration skills.
• Comfortable contributing to technical decision-making.
• Good communication skills in English.
• Good working knowledge of French.

You may also have

• Experience in prototype development and assembly.
• Experience working in an international research environment.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and supplier management.
• Familiarity with scientific instrumentation or robotics.

Contract length: 3 years

Salary: grade 4-6 (monthly salary starting at €3.335,43 after tax, and before 13% EMBL social security deductions, plus other paid benefits). 

Why join us
EMBL is curiosity-driven, community-oriented and international. As an inclusive, equal opportunity employer, we believe that diversity enables us to collaborate more effectively and be innovative in our approaches. We are, therefore, committed to creating an inclusive and flexible culture - one where everyone can realise their full potential and make a positive contribution to our organisation. 

We encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team – we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and personal experiences reflect the diversity of the populations that our science serves. We actively encourage applications from all genders and cultures, ethnic groups and all demographics to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformational point in our people strategy.

Enjoy lots of benefits:

• Financial incentives: Salary free of income tax, monthly family and child allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances

• Flexible working arrangements

• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)

• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays

• Campus life: Free shuttle bus (some sites only), on-site library, subsidised on-site cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)

• Family benefits: Kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity/parental leave and monthly family & child allowances

• For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here

What else you need to know

• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.

• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.

• How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.

Closing Date