QSET - Rover Mechanical Drive 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 a Mechanical Drive Lead, you will lead the mechanical design and required improvements for the rover’s drive train with the main goal of delivering a lighter, more efficient drive system that could transition to a swerve configuration. You will work closely with the Rover CTO and the technical managers to coordinate designs between subsystems as well as delegate work to mechanical members. To keep updated with the project, the Mechanical Drive Lead must coordinate and attend weekly meetings with the larger drive 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

• Evaluate the feasibility of a swerve drive and prototype proof of concept hardware.
• Specify lightweight structural components and select suitable materials/adhesives.
• Perform structural analyses on housings, gears, and bearings for URC loads.
• With the help of the rover management team run weekly drive system meetings with general members, working towards furthering the state of the drive system.

• Ability to research topics of interest, outside of current understanding, independently.
• Critical thinking and decision making, with a passion for engineering and design.
• Effective communication and time management skills.
• Comfort collaborating with motor driver electronics and controls teams.
• Exposure to FEA or other analysis methods to inform design decisions.
• General understanding of composite materials and bonding methods.