2009-SNR-ME-Technician

Job Title: Mechanical Technician

• Division/Department: Surgical Navigation and Robotics laboratory, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
• Reports to: Nobuhiko Hata, PhD
• Salary Grade/Band: Part-Time, or consultant. Salary level depends on experience.

• Summary

We are seeking electrical/mechanical Lab Technician candidates skilled in laboratory-grade robotic systems.

• Responsibility

Job responsibilities include electrical / mechanical fabrication for medical robotics and devices research. The appropriate individual will contribute to a variety of current advanced technology development projects ranging from prototype demonstrations to late stage clinical application.

• Qualification

The ideal candidate will have a technician degree in electrical or electromechanical technology with practical hands-on experience in designing and/or machining. Experience in developing robotic prototypes is a plus. A minimum of 2 years experience in a dynamic, hi-tech R&D lab or product development environment is required. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication skills both oral and written. A thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel are required, as well as significant skills in CAD engineering design software. US citizenship or permanent residence required; or immigrant visa to start working immediately.

• Detailed qualification
  • Ability to design and fabricate prototype devices.
  • Ability to equip shop with machining and electronics equipment
  • Ability to purchase and stock materials through the institutional PO system
  • Ability to modify or create mechanical drawings using CAD software
  • Ability to read and understand mechanical drawings provided by a scientist
  • Experience with standard laboratory measurement equipment, including multi-meters, tachometers, oscilloscopes, etc.
  • Electrical skills including wiring and soldering
  • Working knowledge of machine shop tools (drill press, lathe, milling machine, band saw, etc.)
  • Ability to formulate and execute efficient test plans and clearly communicate and document test results.
  • Work with scientists to optimize the system design for performance, ease of manufacture and assembly, and service
  • Interface for the clinical engineers and clinicians for field trials and system demonstrations
  • Perform Vendor investigation, sourcing and selection for material

• Work environment
  • Minimum two days a week, Max. Three days a week, at L1-050, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA

• Initial assignment
  • Fabrication and build of an MRI-compatible needle insertion device. The device will be consisting of 3 degree-of-freedom, one for needle insertion and the other two for needle orientations, all driven by piezoelectric actuators. The tasks will require skills of reviewing design drawings, fabrication of mechanical structure out of high-strength engineering plastic e.g. PEEK, and mechanical assembly.
  • Design and build catheters with copper coils. The coils can have different configurations. The task will require evaluating the best design for the coils for obtaining optimal bending in all possible directions. Further work will be to evaluate the performance of the catheter in a 3T MRI scanner.
  • Neurosurgical navigation: Add small electromagnetic sensors to a set of neurosurgical tools to facilitate their tracking using electromagnetic technology in the operating room. This will require soldering the sensors onto the tools and connecting the sensors to shielded cables which connect to a sensor interface unit. The connections must be neat and robust. The tools should then be tested for their tracking accuracy by manufacturing an acrylic calibration block with a set of dimples in known locations, and comparing the measured location of the tool tip from the electromagnetic sensor device with the location of the dimples.