Molly Duncan

Mechanical engineer for product development—FEA (SolidWorks/ANSYS), DFM/DFMA, Arena PLM—owning supplier-ready design transfer for reliable, scalable electromechanical builds.

Email: mollydunc1@gmail.com • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/molly-duncan • Portfolio: www.mollyduncan.com

Location: Somerville, MA • Work authorization: U.S. citizen • Notice: 3-week

Download Resume (PDF)

Summary

Mechanical engineer focused on product development for mechanisms, enclosures, and electromechanical assemblies. I turn requirements into shipped hardware through evidence-driven prototyping, SolidWorks/ANSYS FEA, supplier-facing DFM/DFMA, and Arena PLM (BOM/ECO), owning design transfer with clean hand-offs and first-article/tooling feedback to meet cost, serviceability, and scale—open to consumer, industrial, and R&D roles.

Skills

  • CAD: Fusion 360; Onshape; SolidWorks

  • Analysis: Finite Element Analysis (FEA) — ANSYS Workbench; SolidWorks; MATLAB/Simulink

  • Electronics: Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design — EasyEDA; Autodesk EAGLE; Arduino (C/C++)

  • Fabrication: 3D printing — Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM); Stereolithography (SLA); machining; soldering; plasma cutting; injection molding; pour molding

  • Process: Design for Manufacturability & Assembly (DFM/DFMA); Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) — Arena

Experience

Viken Detection — Mechanical Engineer (progressed from Co-op to Full-Time)

Burlington, MA • Jul 2020–Present

  • Key mechanical designer for a mobile X-ray scanning module from concept to deployment.

  • Designed carbon-fiber/fiberglass structures and sheet-metal/machined brackets; partnered with fabricators for DFM.

  • Owned BOM/ECO control in Arena PLM; coordinated design transfer with vendors and vehicle body teams.

  • Vendor liaison for molded/machined parts: RFQs, tolerance/finish decisions, and first-article/tooling feedback.

  • Ran SolidWorks Simulation FEA and on-vehicle vibration/road tests; validated durability and stability.

  • Built Design of Experiments (DOE) for a solenoid-controlled shutter; automated thermal/optical timing tests (Arduino, MATLAB) to confirm timing over extended use.

  • Supported multi-site field installs [mechanical assembly, wiring, Quality Assurance (QA)]; closed loop with test data for next revisions.

Harvard Microrobotics Lab — Visiting Undergraduate Research Intern (Project CETI)

Boston, MA • Jul 2022–May 2023

  • Designed next-gen underwater acoustic-tag packaging to improve CG/stability and recording time.

  • Developed multi-part polymer molding assemblies; documented for reproducible builds and clean lab hand-offs.

  • Contributed to PCB schematic capture/layout; supported smooth mech-electrical integration.

  • Ran buoyancy, pressure-resistance, and hydrodynamics tests to improve field performance; earned FAA sUAS Remote Pilot and supported field deployments.

Capstone — Ergonomic Friction-Drive Wheelchair (1st Place in Track)

Northeastern University, Boston, MA • Jan 2023–May 2023

  • Bolt-on friction-drive assist from concept to functional prototype; sized powertrain/gear ratio; designed serviceable enclosure.

Education & Certifications

B.S., Mechanical Engineering — Northeastern University, Magna Cum Laude

CSWA (SolidWorks) • FAA sUAS Remote Pilot