Job Description Summary

Job Description

GE Aerospace Research is seeking an exceptional early career researcher to join our Mechatronics Lab as a Lead Engineer. You will build deep technical expertise in mechatronics while developing the organizational intelligence and leadership skills that define Research's technical leaders.

The Mechatronics Lab at GE Aerospace Research designs and builds electromechanical systems that combine mechanisms, sensors, actuators, and feedback control. The lab develops tools that inspect and repair engines on wing through borescope ports and other confined spaces, robotic cells and end effectors for new-make and service shops, and component designs that support automated assembly and maintenance. Projects run from concept and CAD through prototype build, controls integration, and testing on engine hardware. The lab partners with GE Aerospace engineering, manufacturing, and services teams and with U.S. Government research programs.

Your first three years at Research include structured development to accelerate your growth: establishing your technical foundation in your home lab, strategic stretch assignments that provide breadth across our capabilities, and connection to a cohort of early career peers. Through independent research, structured projects, coursework, and mentorship, you'll progress from foundational researcher to recognized technical contributor ready for long-term impact in aerospace innovation.

Responsibilities:

• Design mechanisms, end effectors, fixtures, and test rigs in 3D CAD, with engineering drawings, bills of material, and tolerance analysis.
• Build and debug prototype hardware from machined, 3D-printed, and purchased components.
• Integrate motors, encoders, load cells, limit switches, and data acquisition hardware into working electromechanical systems.
• Develop motion control and sensor-feedback software for multi-axis tools, covering homing, sequencing, force and position control, and fault handling.
• Model mechanism kinematics, system dynamics, and structural loads with hand calculations, MATLAB or Python, and finite element analysis.
• Plan and run bench and engine-hardware tests, log data, and compare measured performance with predictions.
• Follow laboratory, environmental health and safety, and security requirements, including hardware interlocks and stop logic.
• Document designs, code, and test results in reports and presentations for technical teams and customers.
• Work with researchers in robotics, sensing, materials, and manufacturing, and with GE Aerospace shop and engineering teams, to transition prototypes to field use.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related STEM discipline. Coursework, research, or project experience in mechanism design, control systems, or electromechanical integration.
• Must be willing to work from the GE Aerospace Research office in Niskayuna, NY.
• This role may require an individual to obtain active US Government Secret Clearance with ability to attain a Top-Secret Clearance; prerequisite for a security clearance is U.S. citizenship.
• This role may require use of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or security clearance to access classified information. Therefore, employment is contingent upon your ability to prove that you meet the qualification of being a US Citizen.

Eligibility Requirements:
Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Due to the nature of our projects, US Citizenship is required.

You will stand out if you have one or more of these attributes:

• Prior intern, co-op, or research experience (university, national lab, industry, or applied research setting).
• Exceptional academic performance with research orientation (e.g., thesis-based work, publications, conference presentations, patents, or open-source technical contributions).
• Experience with 3D CAD such as Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or Creo, including engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Experience implementing control systems on motor-driven hardware, such as PID loops, state machines, or force and impedance control.
• Programming experience in Python, C or C++, MATLAB, or LabVIEW for data acquisition, embedded controllers, or instrument control.
• Hands-on fabrication and test experience, such as machining, 3D printing, electronics wiring, circuit design, and test rig assembly.
• Experience with robot kinematics, dynamics modeling, finite element analysis, or sensor and actuator selection.
• Humble and inclusive: seeks to learn, welcomes feedback, and values different perspectives in technical debate. Creates an environment where others can contribute and do their best work.
• Focused and rigorous: uses data to make decisions, frames hypotheses, designs experiments, and strengthens solutions through iteration and learning.  Connects their research to real world impact.
• Transparent and collaborative: communicates clearly to varied audiences, partners across teams, and builds alignment through evidence to deliver outcomes that matter.
• Demonstrated initiative and commitment to community/university involvement (e.g., mentoring, affinity groups, teaching assistantship, outreach, lab leadership, or service that strengthens the research community).

The pay range for this position is $90,000-$100,000 USD annually.  The specific annual rate offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate’s experience, their education, and the work location. The position includes eligibility in the GE Aerospace AIR Bonus Program.  You will be eligible for an annual bonus that is a percentage of base salary.  Under current plan provisions, the bonus target for this role is 5%, and the actual bonus could increase or decrease depending on a variety of factors, including individual performance and company financial performance.

GE Aerospace offers comprehensive benefits and programs to support your health and, along with programs like HealthAhead, your physical, emotional, financial and social wellbeing. Healthcare benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to a Health Coach from GE Aerospace; and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan, a 401(k) savings plan with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and planning consultants. Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and paid time-off for vacation or illness. 

GE Aerospace (General Electric Company or the Company) and its affiliates each sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs (i.e., is a “Sponsor”). Each Sponsor reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a Sponsor’s welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.

This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. Therefore, employment will be contingent upon the ability to prove that you meet the status of a U.S. Person as one of the following: U.S. lawful permanent resident, U.S. Citizen, have been granted asylee or refugee status (i.e., a protected individual under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)).

Additional Information

GE Aerospace will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable). Employees may also be subject to random and reasonable-suspicion drug and alcohol testing.