Manufacturing Research Engineer at Commonwealth Center For Advanced Manufacturing – Disputanta, Virginia

The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) is seeking a Manufacturing Research Engineer to join multidisciplinary teams comprising industry technical leaders, academic experts, and researchers. This position offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with leading companies while delivering work that directly advances manufacturing technologies. CCAM is a non-profit applied research organization located in Disputanta, Virginia (just south of Richmond) and operates from a modern, state-of-the-art facility designed to foster innovation and impactful research.

Position Summary

The Manufacturing Research Engineer supports advanced manufacturing research and development initiatives by designing, prototyping, integrating, and analyzing traditional and emerging manufacturing systems and processes. This role serves as a SME across robotics systems and mechanical system design and evaluation while also contributing technically to data analysis and rapid prototyping, enabling the execution of both traditional and non-traditional exploratory manufacturing applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as an internal subject matter expert (SME) for robotic assets, supporting ABB, KUKA, and FANUC robots through offline and offline programming, troubleshooting, maintenance oversight, and integration of peripherals for novel applications.
• Develop and support mechanical designs for research and project-specific needs, including fixturing and tooling, using, for example, NX for CAD and design analysis
• Design, build, and support rapid prototyping efforts to stand up research activities and testing capabilities using methods such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) and manual metal working platforms.
• Assist with the design and assembly of mechanical and low-voltage electronic assemblies (<24V), including sensors and data acquisition systems.
• Develop proof-of-concept software and analytical tools using, for example, Python to support manufacturing research, system validation, and experimental workflows.
• Support data analysis activities, including processing and interpretation of time-series (signal) data and image-based data to inform research outcomes.
• Collaborate with cross-discipline research teams to translate experimental concepts into functional systems and demonstrable manufacturing capabilities.
• Document designs, analyses, and experimental results to support knowledge transfer and future research efforts.

CCAM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. CCAM does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.

Company Overview:

CCAM is the center of an ecosystem of collaboration with industry, government, and academia that is focused on helping manufacturers solve real world problems. CCAM works with its partners to develop and deploy new technologies that advance manufacturing and deliver business value. For many companies, joining CCAM can be the difference between being in front of new technology or behind the curve.

Our research focuses on building intelligence in manufacturing processes and systems by bringing experienced, multi-disciplinary teams together with advanced digital systems and manufacturing process capabilities as well as new technology to solve industrial challenges. Whether through new process development, process improvement, new technology development and insertion, system integration and automation, or advanced analytics and AI development, our teams deliver real, usable results. Active research threads include flexible and distributed manufacturing, adaptive automation, cooperative processing, advanced coatings systems, and intelligent repair and replacement through new technologies.

As an applied research center, CCAM has a very strong, multi-disciplinary resident staff that includes research scientists and engineers, skilled industrial technicians, university faculty, and engineering interns and graduate students. These teams work collaboratively with one another as well as with partner organizations to build new and effective approaches to challenges. Our teammates are highly skilled and innovative problem solvers that are focused on delivering value to our customers every day.

Benefits Overview:

• Health, Dental, Vision insurance plan options; eligible on first of month following date of hire.
• HRA – Health Reimbursement Account (employer funded, covers a portion of the medical deductible).
• FSA – Flexible spending Account (employee funded, pre-tax).
• 401k Retirement Plan – Employer contributes 3% of base salary monthly; additional discretionary match up to 7.5% determined annually.
• Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability insurance (employer funded).
• 3 weeks paid vacation.
• 2 weeks paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave.
• Tuition Reimbursement up to $5250.00 per year.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field .
• Proficiency with NX CAD/ or similar for mechanical design and manufacturing support.
• Experience with industrial robotics, including offline programming environments for ABB, KUKA, and FANUC systems.
• Hands-on experience with rapid prototyping and manual machining equipment.
• Working knowledge of Python or comparable language for data analysis, automation, or proof-of-concept software development.
• Experience assembling mechanical and low-voltage electronic systems, including sensors and data acquisition hardware.
• Ability to analyze and interpret time-series and image data to support manufacturing research and experimentation.
• Familiarity with robotic peripheral integration (e.g., sensors, end-effectors, vision systems).
• This position requires access to technology or intellectual property that is subject to export control requirements. Candidates must be qualified for such access without an export control license.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field
• Experience using CAM to program CNC manufacturing platforms.
• Experience setting up and operating CNC manufacturing platforms.
• Experience supporting non-traditional or experimental manufacturing applications.
• Prior experience in a research, innovation, or applied R&D environment.
• "Proactive approach to developing innovative research programs and securing grant funding

Individual Traits Key to Success at CCAM:

• Approaches work with a collaborative, team first mentality; proactive, positive with a can-do attitude.
• Genuine enthusiasm for the application of research to manufacturing processes.
• Excels at problem definition; able to work effectively with open ended or ambiguous problems and/or applications.
• Self-driven and results-oriented, with a clear focus on high quality of work performance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; conveys ideas at both technical and non-technical levels; must be an active listener.
• Responsible and accountable; able to manage time, cost, and quality to meet project goals.
• Eager to gain new experience and learn new skills.