Founding Mechatronics Engineer

Millions of amputees worldwide struggle daily with discomfort, pain and limited mobility — caused not by the prosthetic limb itself, but by the socket. At DeepSense, we are building a smart adaptive pad that finally solves this problem. We are working towards a pilot with one of the world's leading prosthetics companies.

This is a rare opportunity to build deeply interdisciplinary hardware at the intersection of biomechanics, embedded electronics, rapid prototyping and wearable medical technology. We are looking for a Founding Mechatronics Engineer to take technical ownership of the product as it goes from early prototype to validated, demo-ready hardware.

About us

At DeepSense we are developing a smart rectification pad for transfemoral (above-knee) prosthetic sockets. The pad adapts in real time to changes in limb shape, pressure and movement, giving amputees a comfortable, well-fitting socket whether they are resting, walking or running.

According to the WHO there are more than 25 million lower-limb amputees worldwide. An estimated 35% are dissatisfied with their prosthesis and 40% struggle to walk even 50 metres. The root cause is almost always a poor socket fit. Today's fixed-shape sockets force clinicians into long, costly fitting iterations and leave patients with discomfort, wounds and limited mobility. We want to change that.

What we have accomplished

• We have a working concept and early prototypes demonstrating real-time rectification in a single fully self-contained device.
• Our device is patent pending, protecting our core technology as we move toward commercialisation.
• Secured over 200 000 SEK in soft funding to advance product development.
• We are supported by one of the world's largest prosthetics companies — our planned clinical and testing partner for our first trial with amputees.
• Also supported by a Swedish partnership organisation for healthcare and life sciences.
• Validated the clinical need through direct work with amputees, prosthetists and clinicians.
• We are part of the KTH Innovation startup community with access to coaches, mentors and investor networks.

The journey ahead

By the end of 2026 we need a robust, demo-ready prototype ready to be fitted to an amputee's residual limb for an initial walking test.

This prototype needs to be designed, built and verified first; an industrial design review will then inform a more polished, user-ready version of the device. That sequence — and the engineering work behind it — is the immediate scope of this role.

Once those milestones are met, we move into clinical trial planning with our partner and into preparation for raising further investment.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a hands-on Founding Mechatronics Engineer who can take the device from CAD to working hardware essentially on their own — comfortable in front of a screen designing parts and PCBs, and comfortable at the bench with a soldering iron and a 3D printer. You don't need to be a manufacturing expert; external suppliers handle production of the mechanical parts, and an external industrial design consultant feeds in a design review between iterations.

In this role you will

• Manage and refine the CAD of the device, including manufacturing drawings ready for external suppliers.
• Design the electronics — schematic, PCB layout and the embedded board that drives the device.
• Build, solder and assemble the prototypes, using 3D printing for in-house iterations and coordinating with external suppliers for production of the mechanical parts.
• Test the device against performance targets and produce the reports needed for project milestones.
• Incorporate the industrial design consultant's feedback into a refined design ready for use with amputees.
• Work closely with the rest of the team on technical decisions — user testing with amputees and clinical trial planning sit with the wider team and external partners, not with you, at this stage.

Skills & Requirements

We believe in diversity and welcome all applicants regardless of gender, background or beliefs. You do not need to match every qualification perfectly to apply.

Required

• Strong CAD skills, preferably in Fusion 360.
• PCB design experience using tools such as KiCad or Altium.
• Hands-on rapid prototyping with 3D printers (FDM and/or SLA).
• Excellent soldering skills, including SMD work.
• Basic awareness of common manufacturing processes such as injection moulding and CNC milling — enough to design parts that can sensibly be made by an external supplier.
• A basic understanding of human movement, biomechanics and soft-tissue behaviour (or strong motivation to learn quickly — we work with the human body every day).
• BSc or MSc in mechanical, mechatronic, biomedical or electrical engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Driven, open to learn, and able to execute independently in a small team.
• Excellent English; Swedish is a plus.

Bonus points for

• Familiarity with standard design practices for electronics, CAD and design-for-manufacture (DFM).
• Previous experience in a startup, hardware product company, or medical device environment.
• Embedded firmware experience (C/C++, microcontrollers, sensor integration).

What we offer

This is a co-founding role with equity, not a salaried position. You join with an initial share grant tied to the current engineering milestones. On successful completion, additional shares are available as we move into clinical trial planning with our partner, further fundraising and the road towards CE-marking.

As a founding engineer, you will shape the technical foundation of the company. Your engineering decisions will directly influence the product architecture, and you will help define how the technology evolves from prototype to clinical product — with real proximity to the amputees whose lives it changes.

The more the company grows and the more goals you help us hit, the larger your stake becomes. We expect an initial commitment of roughly 2–4 days per week, with the ambition to transition into full-time as the next funding round closes.