Product Development Engineer

Transforming Complex Scientific Challenges into Manufacturable Products

I'm a Product Development Engineer with experience leading concept development, simulation, prototyping, testing, manufacturing, and validation of advanced electromechanical and microfluidic systems.

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M.S.
Mechanical Eng., BU
5+
Years in R&D
0→1
Concept to release
Portrait of Joe Von Schoppe, Product Development Engineer
Joe Von Schoppe
R&D · Medical Devices · Microfluidics · Product Development
Engineering Process

From a blank problem statement to a launched product

My experience across these ten pillars of product development is what guides my decision-making process. Select any stage to see the typical engineering activities and my hands-on experience of that step.

Stage 01

Problem Definition

Decoding the real engineering problem behind the unmet need.

Typical activities
  • Stakeholder and client interviews
  • Constraint and risk mapping
  • Define measurable success criteria
My experience

I've worked with nearly a dozen biotech startups and academic research labs to define and solve their hardest engineering problems. I'm comfortable sitting down with scientists and founders, cutting through ambiguity, and turning a vague scientific need into a clear, measurable problem statement before any design work begins.

Stage 1 of 10
Featured Projects

Case studies in engineering impact

See how I recognize and solve problems including the challenge, the approach, the trade-offs, and the measurable result.

Project 01

Organ-on-a-Chip Microfluidic System

Changing the landscape of drug discovery

MicrofluidicsPolymer BondingCFDExperimental Design

At Fikst, I led the design, validation and manufacturing of a novel lab-on-a-chip device, integrating multidisciplinary insights into a manufacturable microfluidic platform and delivering results to our client with technical precision.

Organ-on-a-chip cartridge with oxygenation & cell seeding chambers

Organ-on-a-chip cartridge with oxygenation & cell seeding chambers

Challenge

Drug discovery relies heavily on animal testing which often does not accurately represent human physiology, leading to wasted resources and misleading results. By creating a microphysiological system with human cells, we can test drugs in the biological environment they are intended to be used in and at a lowest cost than animal testing.

Organ-on-a-chip
Novel device platform
Multidisciplinary
Insights integrated
Scientific Boundary
Pushed forward
Project 02

Electroporation Device

Automated microfluidic research platform

Mechanical DesignV&VDFMVendor Management

At Fikst, I designed and tested a microfluidic cartridge and instrument system for research applications, managing verification and validation from concept to project completion, building QA protocols, and overseeing vendor selection and supplier quality.

Electroporation device compatible with pipetting robots

Electroporation device compatible with pipetting robots

Challenge

Conventional electroporation happens in specialized cuvettes which increase the time is takes for affected cells to be transferred to recovery media. Creating a flow through system that syncs a pipetting robot with a high voltage power supply can delivery affected cells to recovery media in milliseconds, improving cell survival rate which is a key component of overall electroporation efficiency.

Client Needs
Met with precision
QA
Protocols designed
High Voltage
Safety prioritized
Project 03

Diagnostics Cartridge and Instrument

A miniaturized blood lab

PrototypingTechnician TrainingProcedure CreationOperations

At Wainamics, I developed a microfluidic system which seamlessly integrated with our clients diagnostics sensor board and provided consistent bubble-free all in a package smaller than your thumb.

Diagnostics cartridge with integrated PCB

Diagnostics cartridge with integrated PCB

Challenge

Our client aimed to transform how doctors and first responders detect traumatic brain injury. They created an electrochemical sensor which could detect key markers in minutes but needed help packaging their sensor into a system that could reliably deliver patient samples to their sensor, that's where we came in.

Dimensional Constraints
Accounted for
In-house
Fabrication capability
Procedures
Created & standardized
Technical Capabilities

An interconnected engineering approach

My capabilities span the full product-development arc from concept to manufacturing and each skill reinforces the others.

CoreEnd-to-End Product Engineering

Engineering & Design

CADCAMGD&TDFMDFAEmbedded Software

Prototyping

CNC Machining3D PrintingLaser CuttingSilicone Molding

Manufacturing

Injection MoldingCleanroom ProcessingGMP

Biotech & Microfluidics

Polymer BondingMaterial SelectionThin FilmsCell CultureElectroporationSterilizationSurface Modification

Research & Development

Experimental DesignData AnalysisCFDAI Tools

Operations

Vendor ManagementTechnician TrainingProcedure Creation
Experience & Education

A track record across R&D and manufacturing

A timeline of engineering roles, education, and mentorship — from microfluidics and diagnostics to advanced battery manufacturing.

  1. 2025–PresentExperience

    Senior Process Engineer — Lucid Motors

    I lead cross-functional initiatives across design, manufacturing, controls, software, data, and operations to develop and deploy advanced battery manufacturing processes.

  2. 2025Experience

    R&D Engineer — Wainamics

    I led experiments to optimize device performance and manufacturing, integrating multidisciplinary insights into novel lab-on-a-chip solutions and delivering results to clients.

  3. 2021–2024Experience

    Mechanical Engineer — Fikst

    I designed and tested microfluidic cartridge and instrument systems, led V&V from concept to commercial release, built QA protocols, and managed vendors and technician training.

  4. 2015–2020Education

    M.S. Mechanical Engineering — Boston University

    Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Boston University (2015–2020).

  5. 2018–2020Experience

    Laboratory Assistant — Boston University

    I processed silicon wafers into microfluidic chips, performed chip spectroscopy with optical and electron microscopes, and designed and fabricated experiment fixtures.

  6. 2015–2018Mentorship

    Mentor — BUA FIRST Robotics

    I guided students through design, fabrication, and integration of competitive robotics systems, teaching CNC machining, mechanical assembly, and system testing.

Contact

Let's build something that matters

Reach out and let's talk about your hardest problem.

Emailjoevonschoppe@gmail.comLinkedInConnect professionallyResumeDownload PDF