QSET - Rover Electrical Arm Lead

The Queen's Space Engineering Team (QSET) is a large multi-disciplinary team consisting of students from all programs within Queen’s University. QSET designs a prototype Mars Rover for participation in the University Rover Challenge (for more information please visit urc.marssociety.org/home).

If selected as the Electrical Arm Lead, you will lead the design and implement custom control electronics for the robotic arm with a focus on reliability, redundancy, and simplicity. You will work closely with the Rover CTO and the technical managers to coordinate designs between subsystems and oversee all electrical aspects of the 6 DoF manipulator, from joint drivers to end effector interfaces. To keep updated with the project, the Electrical Arm Lead must coordinate and attend weekly meetings with the larger arm system team. The rover management team will be at each of these meetings helping both in technical and managerial capacity.

The Queen’s Space Engineering Team encourages applications from women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. If you require accommodations during the interview process, please contact qset@ engsoc.queensu.ca.

Application Due Date: July 10, 2025 at 10 PM

• Define schematics, component selection, and BOM for the arm controller.
• Design PCB layouts within tight mechanical envelopes.
• Prototype and validate circuits in lab and field.
• Integrate motor drivers and sensor feedback loops.
• With the help of the rover management team run weekly arm meetings with general members, working towards furthering the state of the arm.

• Exposure to PCB design tools or eagerness to learn.
• Critical thinking and decision making, with a passion for engineering and design.
• Effective communication and time management skills.
• Understanding of motor driver circuitry and power distribution basics.
• Hands on soldering and debugging experience is beneficial.