Mechatronic or Mechanical Engineering Manager

Mechatronic or Mechanical Engineering Manager — Precision Mechatronics for in-situ electron microscopy systems

Hummingbird Scientific is entering a new era: building next-generation in-situ electron microscopy  products, , designed for a world moving fast toward automation, autonomy, and AI-assisted microscopy workflows.

Our instruments are used by national labs and top-10 research universities, and we’re growing capacity, expanding our production floor, and scaling our engineering team to support what’s next.

We’re hiring an Engineering Manager who is a true player-coach: a hands-on precision mechanical/mechatronics engineer who also knows how to build a team, run execution, and deliver. If you love pulling people together, hiring great engineers, and turning complex ideas into reliable, manufacturable products - this role has your name on it.

Requirements

What you'll do

Lead and build the team

• Manage and develop a small, high-output engineering group (with real ownership of hiring and performance)
  
• Recruit, hire, and scale the team as programs expand—setting expectations, coaching, and building an accountable culture
  
  

• Be the “master of project management” inside engineering: translating goals into plans, schedules, milestones, risks, and daily progress
  
• Drive cross-functional alignment between engineering, assembly, machining, and production operations so work flows smoothly and predictably
  
  

• Contribute daily to new product development: precision mechanisms, stage hardware, mechatronics integration, and design-for-manufacturing
  
• Work directly with machinists and assembly to solve real-world build issues fast—and raise the bar on design quality and throughput
  

• Help lead the development of:
  
• Next-gen TEM in-situ precision mechanical design
  
• In-situ and sample prep workflow automation
  
• Software integration for automated and AI-enabled tool
  

• Have been the direct manager of a small engineering team, with real ownership in hiring (and the maturity to handle performance decisions when needed).
  
• Are still a current, strong mechanical designer—not someone who left hands-on engineering a decade ago.
  
• Have deep experience designing precision mechanical systems / mechatronics, and you’ve worked closely with machinists and builders.
  
• Believe in and practice formal project management (whatever the toolset): plans, milestones, dependency thinking, risk management, communication rhythms, and execution discipline.
  
• Are energized by growth, pace, and responsibility—this is a “build the next level” role, not a comfort role.
  
  

• 8+ years in precision mechanical design / product development (scientific instruments, robotics, automation, or similar)
  
• 3+ years in people leadership (or equivalent), with demonstrated hiring and team-building success
  
• Strong system thinking: mechanisms + integration + manufacturing realities
  
• Comfort working across engineering, machining, assembly, and operations
  
• SolidWorks proficiency (or equivalent) required
  

• Experience with vacuum, cryo, microscopy-related systems (TEM/SEM), or high-stability motion/positioning systems.
  
• Familiarity with quality systems, inventory, process improvement, or shop-floor workflows.
  
  

Why Hummingbird Scientific

• Your work will ship into the hands of researchers at national labs and top-tier universities
  
• You’ll lead programs in TEM stages, cryo sample prep, in-situ tools, and automation - with a real roadmap toward autonomy and AI-assisted workflows.
  
• You’ll have visible impact: team, technology, throughput, and the products themselves
  
• We’re growing - capacity, people, and ambition—and you’ll help define what the next phase looks like
  

Job Location: This job is located on-site in Lacey, WA, USA

Apply here with your resume and cover letter. 

Benefits

Hummingbird Scientific offers a generous compensation package based on experience and demonstrated capability, including paid vacation, holidays, sick time, medical and dental benefits, and a company 401(k) plan