Prototyping Specialist

Your Job

DarkVision, a Koch Engineered Solutions company, is looking for a talented Prototyping Specialist to join our Skunkworks (R&D) team and work on the next generation of our state-of-the-art ultrasound imaging solutions.

This position will provide you with an opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team of engineers and designers to innovate new technology/product ideas and concepts from scratch, starting with conception and ideation and ending with working prototype or proof-of-concept. Your focus will be rapid prototyping, design iteration, and testing through utilization of DarkVision’s in-house CNC machine shop and manufacturing equipment to turn parts from wild ideas to reality.

The ideal candidate is dependable, adaptable, has a get-it-done attitude where no work is above or beneath you, and has a passion for supporting others and working collaboratively in a close-knit team.

This position is full-time on-site at our HQ in North Vancouver, BC.

Our Team

The Skunkworks team is a group of “mad scientists”. We take early ideas and concepts and answer questions like “could this work” and “how do we make this work” rather than designing and checking off boxes for mass production release.

We take a holistic and multidisciplinary approach in systems design, pulling in expertise from mechanical, electrical, and software engineering. We are keen on trying new, non-conventional methods for experimenting and like to scrutinize the method used to ensure results and assumptions are valid.

What You Will Do

Run and maintain Darkvision’s machine shop:

• Take DarkVision’s method for bringing parts to life and make it run smoothly and efficiently.
• Perform CAM programing for CNC 3-axis mills and live tooling Y-axis lathe.
• Operate a variety of CNC machines and equipment: Haas ST-30Y, Haas VF-4SS, Hydmech S20 Band Saw, FlexArm Pneumatic Tapping Arm, Trotec Speedy 400 Laser.
• Take ownership of machine shop organization – run this like your own shop inside DarkVision. Keep it clean and well organized. Knock heads if you need to.
• Stock tooling, workholding, and material to quickly respond to new projects.
• Maintain machines and avoid productivity loss from poor upkeep.

Work closely with designers and engineers to remove friction and obstacles to enable fast iteration:

• Provide feedback on design machinability/manufacturability to engineering teams.
• Help improve designs before they proceed to in-house or external manufacturing.
• Provide a rapid path for designers to prototype, modify parts, and experiment.
• Utilize FDM and SLA 3D printing to leverage immediate design feedback and low upfront time investment.
• Learn how to use machines and equipment safely and effectively and teach other team members so they can create parts when appropriate.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Experience operating CNC and manual machines.
• Experience with CAD software for 3D modelling.
• Experience with CAM software for milling and turning.
• Note: This is a research and development prototyping role. Therefore, the emphasis is on aptitudes and attitudes rather than experience. If you can learn quickly, be creative, find clever ways to solve problems, and be a collaborative member of the team, then only limited experience is required!

What Will Put You Ahead

• Desire to collaborate, with an active pursuit of new ideas, perspectives, and ways of getting the job done.
• Strong mechanical and computer aptitude.
• Eager to learn and continually develop your skills.
• Engineering Technology Diploma, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Applied Science, or similar.
• Autodesk Fusion CAD/CAM/HSMworks.
• Experience with designing and working with engineering materials: aluminum alloys, stainless steels, engineering plastics.
• Experience running Haas and Tormach CNC machines.
• Live tooling lathes/multi-axis CNC mill experience.
• Prior experience in design or fabrication of tooling or fixtures.
• QC experience/knowledge of GD&T.
• Strong communication skills and fluent in both oral and written English.
• High level of safety awareness and orientation.

General Salary Range

For this role, we anticipate paying $60k to $85k per year. This role is eligible for variable pay, issued as a monetary bonus or in another form.

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Who We Are

DarkVision Technologies Inc. is a Canada-based tech company disrupting the industrial imaging market since 2013. We have created the world’s most advanced acoustic-based imaging platform. We are packaging it into multiple new product lines, revolutionizing how our clients quantify and visualize the integrity of their critical assets.

Backed by Koch Industries, one of the world’s largest privately held companies, DarkVision’s team of Mechanical, Skunkworks, Electrical, Software, and Machine Learning Engineers is rapidly expanding to meet the demand for the company’s current and upcoming products.

We allow employees to work on cutting-edge technologies that blend science with real-world applications. We invite you to join our team for the exciting journey ahead as we become the global leader in industrial imaging.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

How to Apply

If you have the above qualifications, we would like to hear from you. We thank all applicants in advance, but please be advised that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

We are an equal opportunity employer. If you require accommodation or assistance at any time during the application or selection processes, please submit a request by following the directions located in the FAQ section at the bottom of the kochcareers.com webpage.

Successful candidates will be required to complete a criminal background check.

Keywords: prototype, prototyping, specialist, technologist, R&D, CNC, CAD, CAM, mill, milling, turning, lathe, mill-turn, machining, machinist, machine shop, fabrication, tight tolerance, GD&T, tooling, fixtures.

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