Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – (Rolling) Contact Mechanics
Delft, The Netherlands
32–38 hours per week
MSc level or equivalent experience
5+ years relevant experience
ABOUT THE ROLE
IMSystems is growing from a technology driven start-up into a product company. To support this next phase, we are looking for a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer with deep expertise in precision mechanical systems, particularly rolling-contact components.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
Precision Mechanical Design Expertise
- Contribute to the mechanical design of next generation Archimedes Drive, from concept through industrialization.
- Apply expertise in rolling-contact mechanics to solve design problems effectively and efficiently.
- Translate product and customer requirements into robust, manufacturable, high-precision mechanical solutions.
- Own critical design decisions related to contact behavior, tolerances, lifetime, and performance.
- Perform and review:
- Tolerance stack-ups
- Finite element simulations
- Design validation and failure analysis of precision steel assemblies
- Deliver clear, high-quality production drawings and technical documentation.
- Support prototype building, testing, and iteration in close collaboration with test and assembly engineers.
Design & Engineering Excellence
- Act as a technical authority within the mechanical design team.
- Contribute to design reviews, acting as a bridge between R&D, Commercial, and Production to ensure design intent is executed with rigor and excellence.
Product Development & Industrialization
- Help structure and improve the engineering workflow, including:
- Design reviews and gated development phases
- Interface definition and documentation
- Change management and version control
- Design for manufacturability and scalability
- Bring best practices from more mature organizations and adapt them pragmatically to a scale-up environment.
- Support the transition from development projects to repeatable product platforms.
- Ensure strong alignment between design intent, manufacturing, and assembly.
WHO YOU ARE
You don’t need a PhD—we are designing and building products, not doing academic research. You do, however, have the following characteristics:
- Deep technical expertise in precision mechanical systems, capable of making sound engineering decisions under uncertainty.
- Naturally takes ownership and leads through technical clarity and credibility.
- Balances engineering rigor with pragmatic execution.
- Highly organized and effective in a fast-paced, scale-up environment.
- Motivated to grow into a technical leadership role.
REQUIREMENTS (CRITICAL)
- MSc level of thinking, through education or equivalent professional experience.
- 5+ years of experience in high-precision mechanical design.
- Based in the Netherlands with reliable commute to Delft (no relocation support provided).
- Demonstrable knowledge of rolling contact mechanics and ability to apply this to design engineering.
- Solid understanding of:
- Manufacturability and tolerances in precision assemblies
- Steel manufacturing processes and machining constraints
- Experience working in structured engineering environments (clear processes, reviews, and documentation).
- Proven ability to lead and guide design processes in an engineering environment.
- Hands-on, solution‑oriented, and comfortable working under pressure.
- Able to work independently while collaborating closely with others.
- Strong, professional command of English, with the ability to communicate complex technical topics fluently.
STRONGLY PREFERRED
- Experience designing high-load rotational components (e.g. bearings, precision gears, train wheels, camshafts, drivetrains, lead/ball screws, robotic joints, or comparable systems requiring in-depth application of contact mechanics).
- Experience bringing complex mechanical products from prototypes to production.
- Exposure to start-up or scale‑up environments.
- Experience mentoring engineers or leading small technical teams.
WHAT WE OFFER
- A senior, impactful role in a growing deep‑tech company.
- Competitive salary with equity participation, everyone shares in IMSystems’ success.
- High autonomy and real ownership.
- The opportunity to shape both product development and engineering culture.
- Strong support for professional growth and future leadership development.
- A motivated, collaborative team working on breakthrough mechatronics technology.
- Participation in a Collective Labor Agreement (CAO Metaalbewerkingsbedrijf).
- Pension contribution scheme.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Ability to commute/relocate:
- 2289 Rijswijk: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
Application Question(s):
- Can you demonstrate solid knowledge of (rolling) contact mechanics and apply this to design challenges?
Experience:
- high-precision mechanical design: 5 years (Required)
Language:
Work Location: In person
