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.