Who We Are:
At Formic, we’re on a mission to revolutionize American manufacturing and create more abundance in the world. We believe in continuing the American legacy of innovation by making automation accessible to all manufacturers and increasing their factory productivity by 10x.
Built upon deep expertise in robotics and manufacturing, our unique full service automation solutions combine the best automation technology, software, and analysis tools for manufacturers with best in class uptime, support, and maintenance services. We are creating a new era of supercharged efficiency and competitiveness for US manufacturers.
As the world faces growing pressure from tariffs, rising costs, and labor shortages, Formic is uniquely positioned as the industry leading solution to overcome these challenges. Fueled by our vision for a re-industrialized domestic supply chain, everything we do is aimed at growing “Made in America” products. And we’re growing fast - achieving 7x growth in production hours YoY.
Supporting us in our mission, with investments thus far totaling over $60 million, are backers including Lux Capital, Initialized Capital, Blackhorn Ventures, Mitsubishi HC Capital NA, and CEOs and founders of multiple Fortune 50 companies.
The Product Team at Formic is responsible for designing, developing, delivering, and supporting advanced and innovative automation products that address a wide range of needs for US manufacturing, production, and packing operations through our fully managed Robotics as a Service (RaaS) model. Our core focus areas revolve around Product Development & Engineering, Product Management, and Enablement of Formic’s technical and operational delivery teams and our customers.
As a Mechatronics Engineer on Formic’s Product Team, you will be responsible for designing, implementing, testing, delivering, and productizing electromechanical systems and assemblies that constitute and enable Formic’s end of line packing automation portfolio of products.You will work in collaboration with Formic’s Product & Software teams, focusing on delivery of best-in-class automation systems.
You will be accountable for the successful delivery and execution of a range of initiatives spanning mechanical design, integration, testing, control, and optimization. This role spans six primary responsibility areas: 1) electromechanical automation system configuration, validation, and testing; 2) hands-on equipment support for Formic’s Product, Software, & technical operations teams; 3) support of engineering design efforts for our next generation systems; 4) development and maintenance of training and enablement material in support of Formic’s technical operations teams; 5) feedback collection and assessment from Formic’s technical operations teams; and 6) development and maintenance of training and enablement material in support of Formic’s technical operations teams.
This position is highly impactful in evolving and enhancing Formic’s automation products and ensuring that the technical & operational performance and the customer experience outcomes are superb and consistent with the Formic brand.
In this role you will:
- Configure, validate, and troubleshoot electromechanical automation systems & assemblies, including palletizing systems, case packing systems, conveyor systems, material handling systems, and end of arm tooling (EOAT)
- Implement and integrate electrical, mechanical, and control subsystems, ensuring high performance, reliability, manufacturability, and repeatability
- Design, prototype, assemble, and test automated end of line packing automation systems
- Lead and manage technical aspects of assigned automation projects within the product roadmap, ensuring milestones, technical specifications, and delivery timelines are met
- Provide equipment support for Formic’s Product & Software teams and technical operations teams
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure cohesive product delivery and product sustainment
- Troubleshoot & optimize; support debugging of system issues across software and hardware domains and recommend improvements to design and implementation
- Participate in iterative development cycles by incorporating learnings from field deployments into product improvements
- Perform root cause analysis, troubleshooting, and resolution of hardware and system-level issues
- Develop and execute test plans to validate functionality, performance, and compliance with design requirements
- Support design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) practices in collaboration with internal and external resources
- Engage with external vendors to identify and scope necessary equipment and components
- Interface with external system integrators and OEMs to ensure alignment on mechanical, electrical, and control design specifications
- Create and maintain detailed documentation, including standard operating procedures (SOPs), CAD models, schematics, BOMs, test reports, and work instructions
- Continuously collect, aggregate, & assess Deployment and Production Optimization feedback for necessary Product and Continuous Improvement enhancements
- Safety, performance, capabilities, deployability, reliability, supportability, etc.
- Prepare and deliver weekly internal reporting for progress on key initiatives
What makes you a great fit:
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- 3+ years of experience in Mechatronics, Mechanical Systems Engineering, Mechanical Design, Robotics, or a related field
- 3+ years of experience in designing and delivering electromechanical systems or robotic products
- Direct, hands-on experience with sensors, actuators, motion control systems, motors, variable frequency drives, and embedded systems integration
- Direct, hands-on experience with mechanical system assembly, integration, testing, and repair
- Direct, hands-on experience with PLCs
- Familiarity with robotic arm systems (KUKA, FANUC, ABB, etc.) and their integration
- Familiarity with industrial automation protocols and standards (e.g., Ethernet/IP, IO-Link, etc.)
- Familiarity with machine safety devices (e.g. Safety Scanners, Light Curtains, Gate Locks, etc)
- Knowledge of safety standards (e.g., ISO 10218, ANSI/RIA) for robotic systems
- Strong understanding of control theory, dynamics, and system modeling
- Familiarity with a variety of end of line packing & packing robotic automation applications and solutions
- Familiarity and experience with 2D / 3D CAD modeling
- Ability to organize, track, and manage deliverables through iterative development with tight feedback loops on concurrent projects
- Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills
- Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate cross functionally, with demonstrated skill in translating technical issues into actionable team tasks
- Located in, or willing to relocate to, the greater Chicago, IL area
- This is an on-site position
- Ability to travel up to 25%
#LI-MB1
At Formic, we believe you perform your best when you're supported in caring for yourself and your loved ones. That's why we've thoughtfully designed a comprehensive benefits and perks package for our full-time, U.S.-based team members, including:
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Equity in Formic: Own a meaningful stake in a fast-growing Series A startup, backed by leading global investors
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Competitive Commission Structure: Commission plans shared upon onboarding, for commission-eligible roles
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Comprehensive Healthcare Coverage: 99% covered Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans, with 75% coverage for dependents, provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Guardian
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Additional Fully Covered Insurance Benefits: FSA & DCFSA, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability through Guardian, all 100% employer-paid
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Fully funded by Formic and provided via Guardian, offering support when you need it most
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Paid Parental Leave: Generous parental leave to support our employees and their growing families
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Company-sponsored 401(k): Invest in your future with our company-backed retirement savings plan
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Home Office Stipend: A one-time allowance for fully remote employees to set up your ideal at-home or on the road work environment
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Monthly Cell-Phone Reimbursement: Monthly stipend toward phone and internet expenses
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Flexible Time-Off: Take the time you need, when you need it, supported by our flexible PTO policy
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Paid Company Holidays: Celebrate important dates with paid time off
Compensation Philosophy
Formic’s compensation packages - including salaries and equity - are thoughtfully benchmarked against peer companies at a similar growth stage. Equity represents a critical part of our mutual investment: when Formic succeeds, so do you.
Final compensation packages are carefully customized based on candidate preference for cash and equity balance, experience, geographic location, and market considerations. Our goal is to attract and reward top talent who will significantly impact our organization. We're open to meaningful discussions about compensation structure to secure exceptional team members.
Base Salary Range:
$1—$2 USD
What we look for:
We’re building a company from the ground up, so every single person we hire has a massive impact on our team, culture, and ability to accomplish our mission. While each individual brings their own unique skills and perspectives to Formic, we look for people who share our vision and act in alignment with our Operating Principles. If this sounds like you, Formic could be the place for you!
- Fearless Optimism: You share our ambitious vision of what we can accomplish. You’re aware of the challenges we will face as a startup doing new things in an old space, but you’re energized by the incredible opportunity we have to drive change for our customers, and for the manufacturing industry at large.
- Factories First: You have a strong customer focus, no matter who your customer is. You seek to make things easier and better for our customers, even if it makes your job a little harder.
- Today, Not Tomorrow: There are always plenty of projects to tackle in a startup, but you prioritize, take accountability for work, and have a bias toward action.
- Be Right Often: You don’t do things just because that’s how they’ve always been done. You keep looking for ways to improve, seek out feedback along the way, and back your decisions up with data.
- Made of Rubber: Just like rubber, when you fall you bounce back up. You know there’s going to be a lot of challenge and change in our work ahead but you are adaptable, resilient, and ready to thrive through it all.
- Good Baton Passes: You work with a desire to make things easier and better for your team members. You use empathy to understand the needs and goals of others and support each other so Formic can be successful together.
Formic is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, family or parental status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. All employment decisions are based on a person’s merit, business needs, and role requirements. If you require further accommodations or have questions regarding accessibility of our roles, please reach out to [email protected].
Top Skills
What We Do
Formic is focused on unlocking robotic automation in small to mid-sized American manufacturers. Our innovative “Robotics-as-a-Service” model combines financial innovation with a firm understanding of robotics to enable manufacturing customers to deploy and scale automation quickly and with minimal risk.
Our mission is to make “building things” trivial and easy. Every factory should have access to unlimited “labor” through automation without the traditional barriers to entry.
