---
title: 'Mechanical Engineer at Pilgrim'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-pilgrim-redwood-city-s22hyq21bkqf'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Mechanical Engineer at Pilgrim

- **Company:** Pilgrim
- **Location:** Redwood City, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-06-25
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/pilgrim/2b62e327-3784-4903-8415-58b5f801e008

## Job description

About Pilgrim:

Pilgrim develops and deploys advanced biotechnology for defense and national security. Our primary platform, ARGUS, is a fully autonomous system for detecting biological threats in near real time, from naturally occurring pathogens to engineered agents.

Pilgrim is not a research institute or academic lab - we engineer hardware for biology, turning breakthrough science into fielded capabilities. Located in Redwood City, our team pairs mechanical and electrical engineering with chemistry and biology to bring critical technologies to the people who need them.

About the Role:

As a Mechanical Engineer at Pilgrim, you’ll own mechanical subsystems and critical components across our products, from concept through mass production. You’ll work across CAD, rapid prototyping, vendor selection and coordination, and field testing - taking prototypes all the way to deployed systems.

## Responsibilities

- Design and develop compact, ruggedized subsystems, housings, fixtures, test rigs, and mechanical assemblies in CAD, with attention to shock, vibration, environmental exposure, serviceability, and manufacturability.
- Prototype components using CNC machining, 3D printing, laser cutting, vacuum or pressure forming, and general shop tools.
- Develop and integrate fluidic subsystems, including manifolds, channels, valves, pumps, fittings, and sealing solutions such as O-rings, gaskets, and compression fittings.
- Apply DFM/DFA principles, tolerance analysis, and fit checks, and plan and run mechanical, pressure, flow, thermal, and environmental tests to evaluate performance, identify failure modes, and move designs toward reliable production.
- Work with vendors and manufacturers to source parts, review fabrication options, resolve design issues, and improve cost, lead time, and quality.
- Run live demonstrations, field testing, and operator feedback sessions, then use what you learn to improve the design through rapid iteration.

## Qualifications

- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (preferred) or related discipline (e.g., Materials, Biomedical, Electrical), or demonstrated equivalent capability (formal degree not required).
- Portfolio of independent projects demonstrating applied mechanical design and prototyping skills (required).
- Prior shop experience with CNC machining (milling/lathe), additive manufacturing, vacuum forming, laser cutting, and general fabrication tools.
- Proficiency with SolidWorks, with the ability to produce parts, assemblies, drawings, and manufacturable designs.
- Strong understanding and intuition with diverse materials and physics to facilitate rapid prototyping.

## Nice to Have

- Experience with peristaltic and syringe pumps, and with solenoid and SMA valves.
- Experience with ruggedization standards and MIL-STD/MIL-SPEC design.
- Experience with MATLAB or other tools for thermal management and CFD analysis.
- DFM/DFA in regulated industries (defense, aerospace, medical).
- Knowledge of high-performance materials (PEEK, PTFE, composites, aluminum alloys, stainless steels).

## About Pilgrim

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Pilgrim develops, validates, and deploys battlefield-ready biotechnology solutions to enhance the resilience and capabilities of military personnel.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage)
- **Headquarters**: Redwood City, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2023
- **Founders**: Not publicly disclosed (company was started by a 21-year-old founder, per Business Insider, but name not listed in available sources)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Defense and Space Manufacturing / Military Biotechnology
- Target customers: U.S. Department of Defense, allied militaries, and national security agencies (B2G)
- Mission: "Where biology meets the battlefield" — building the warfighter of tomorrow by transforming breakthrough science into decisive capabilities for those who operate at the edge.

## Products & Services
- **[Kingsfoil](https://pilgrimlabs.com/)**: A hemostatic dressing that seals wounds and promotes healing – designed for battlefield and civilian use. (Medical device)
- **[Voyager](https://pilgrimlabs.com/)**: An inhaled mist intended to neutralize chemical threats, protecting warfighters from chemical warfare agents. (Biotechnology product)
- **[ARGUS](https://pilgrimlabs.com/)**: A surveillance platform for detecting biological and chemical hazards in high-risk environments. (Monitoring / detection system)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of **$7.55 million**, including a $4.3 million Seed round (March 2025) and a $3.2 million Pre-Seed round (March 2025), plus an earlier Angel round (November 2023)
- **Notable Investors**: Cantos (Seed lead), Thiel Capital, Refactor, and others
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Headcount grew 50% year-over-year (from ~2 to 4 employees as of mid-2025)
  - 8 open positions posted on hiring platforms, indicating aggressive expansion
  - Featured in Business Insider (Aug 2025) for founder’s high-risk demonstration to secure funding

## Competitive Advantages
- First-mover focusing purely on **battlefield-ready biotechnology** for human performance and protection
- **Backed by prominent defense/tech investors** (Peter Thiel, Cantos, Refactor) lending credibility and network
- **Small, agile team** enables rapid prototyping and deployment of novel solutions
- Product pipeline addresses urgent, unmet needs (hemostatic control, chemical neutralization, bio-threat detection)

## Strategic Focus
- Move from concept to field-deployable products: Kingsfoil, Voyager, and ARGUS are in validation and testing phases
- Scale manufacturing and expand government contracts
- Continue building a talent-dense engineering and biotech team
- Extend dual-use applications (military and civilian emergency medicine)

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture** with direct impact on national security and warfighter survivability
- **Small, early-stage company** (currently 4 employees) offering outsized responsibility and the chance to shape product direction
- **In-office presence** in Redwood City, CA; some hybrid roles available (e.g., Biomedical Engineer on Built In)
- **Recent funding** provides runway and signals investor confidence
- **Exciting technical challenges** spanning electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and industrial design – as seen in open roles

## Sources
1. [pilgrimlabs.com](https://pilgrimlabs.com/)
2. [LinkedIn – Pilgrim](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pilgrimlabs)
3. [Built In – Pilgrim](https://builtin.com/company/pilgrim)
4. [VentureRadar – Pilgrim, Inc.](https://www.ventureradar.com/organisation/Pilgrim,%20Inc_%5Bdot%5D_/f199410e-2af6-4f52-af75-4125b4970d99)
5. [Black Flag Job Board – Pilgrim](https://www.blackflag.vc/hiring/pilgrim)

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