Lead Pneumatic Systems Engineer – Robotic End-of-Arm Tooling (EOAT)

Job Summary

Tutor Intelligence is hiring a pneumatics systems specialist to raise the bar on our pneumatics capabilities, and ensure that our intelligent picking software has as much hardware support as possible to ensure we can pick, and multipick, an extremely diverse set of box and tray SKUs for a wide range of customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, optimise and support high-cycle, pneumatic/vacuum robotic end effectors for box-palletising and general material-handling applications.
• Own the complete life-cycle from concept and CFD/flow analysis through prototype, test, and site launch.
• Lead EOAT architecture: size compressors, FRLs, Venturi or mechanical vacuum pumps, valves and regulators to meet flow, pressure-drop and cycle-time targets.
• Model air-flow dynamics and vacuum performance (CFD, analytic sizing) and iterate designs for < 150 ms grip time on corrugate cartons.
• Select suction-cup geometry, manifold layouts and quick-change couplers; create 3-D CAD, BOMs and pneumatic schematics.
• Integrate pneumatic circuits with robot I/O, sensors and safety relays; tune valve timing for repeatable release.
• Run lab and in-cell tests; analyse data, drive design changes and document results.
• Travel (~ 10–15 %) to suppliers, build shops and customer plants for design reviews and commissioning.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical, Mechatronics or Robotics Engineering.
• 5 + years hands-on design of pneumatic or vacuum pick-and-place tooling for robotics, packaging, or conveyor equipment.
• Deep knowledge of compressors, Venturi vs. mechanical pumps, flow regulators, solenoid valves and suction-cup technologies – including trade-offs in efficiency and maintenance.
• Proficient with SolidWorks
• Demonstrated ability to calculate flow, Cv, vacuum loss and cup holding-force.
• Excellent cross-discipline communication; able to guide controls and electrical teams on hose routing and sensor placement

Nice-to-Have

• Experience with palletising cells ≥ 20 CPM, multi-zone box grippers or sheet depalletising.
• Familiarity with quick-change tool changers, modular 3-D-printed EOAT, and IO-Link smart valves.
• Experience deploying pneumatic solutions in uptime-critical applications
• Wide experience designing robot grippers for many use cases