Jessica
System Engineer · Roboticist · Engineering Manager
Mechanical engineer and roboticist with 15+ years of technical expertise in research and design of robotics hardware. Track record spanning academic research, hardware startups, and high-growth robotics companies — with a consistent thread of building complex systems that actually ship. Has launched 6 hardware systems ranging from benchtop robots to products that sell for over a quarter of a million dollars, and spent 3+ years managing cross-functional engineering projects from prototype to product launch.
Cross-functional team communication · Project timelines · Process improvement · 3D solid modeling · R&D design · Rapid prototyping · Machined & welded sheet metal · Injection molded parts · Engineering drawings · DFM · PLM · Automation · System diagnostics · Reliability testing
Engineering Manager at the company behind Digit — one of the world's most capable bipedal humanoid robots, deployed commercially with partners including Amazon. Agility Robotics is a leader in the emerging field of human-scale robots designed to work in environments built for people.
Led cross-functional teams and owned mechanical design through proof-of-concept, analysis, product development, testing, and long-term R&D implementation across the full bioreactor product line.
Lead R&D engineer improving a food-bowl making robot in anticipation of pilot launch. Became lead engineer for all topping dispensing subsystems. Redesigned the full pan dispenser — increasing successful drop rate by 40% and achieving NSF compliance. Led the first NPI process for the manufacturing department.
R&D engineer on cross-disciplinary teams (ME, EE, CV, Software) across the full development lifecycle. Key contributor on a 6-month project delivering a silverware dispenser from a single PRD to 12 units at pilot launch. Designed robotic arm mounting, magnetic and vacuum grippers for high-speed ceramic dish manipulation, and reduced transport cart cost by 50% via sheet metal redesign. Consulted with NSF to meet food safety standards.
Engineering internships spanning medical devices (Inogen), telemedicine robotics (InTouch Health), and aerospace maintenance operations (United Airlines).
GPA 3.92. Biomimetic Millisystems Lab (PI: Ronald S. Fearing), co-advised by Alice Agogino. Research in bio-inspired design for legged millirobots — palm-sized cockroach-inspired running robots and a jumping robot with a self-engaging spine gripper holding 7.5× its weight from a ceiling. Visiting researcher at Seoul National University's BioRobotics Lab (Kyu-jin Cho) and EPFL's Reconfigurable Robotics Lab (Jaime Paik). NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) and NSF IGERT fellowship.
Graduated ranked 5th in class, Dean's Honors (top 5%). Undergraduate research in MEMS-based gecko-inspired dry adhesives. Competed in the International Robogames with a custom-built Sumobot.
Passive spine gripper for the Salto jumping robot — no additional actuators. Enabled jumping on 60° inclines and static ceiling adhesion at 7.5× the robot's weight.
Bio-inspired friction pads and tibia spines improved a millirobot's jumping performance by 65%, approaching a theoretical no-slip model.
Passive collapsible spines increased climbable incline, reduced cost of pulling by an order of magnitude, and increased speed and pull load by 50%.
IR laser machining of laminated structures for attachment, protection, and sensing in legged millirobots. Includes the open-source OpenRoACH robot.
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