Careers

Careers at FIRGELLI

Looking for a career where mechanical motion, electronics, practical problem solving, and customer projects all meet? FIRGELLI works with linear actuators, TV lifts, motion control components, and custom automation ideas used by builders, engineers, OEMs, fabricators, furniture makers, automotive enthusiasts, marine installers, and robotics teams. We are always interested in hearing from capable people who can bring useful skills, good judgment, and a hands-on mindset to the team.

This page is not a promise that a specific role is open today. Instead, it explains the kind of work we do, the type of thinking that succeeds here, and what to include when you contact us about future opportunities. If you enjoy turning a sketch, a load case, or a customer problem into a reliable motion solution, FIRGELLI may be a good fit.

What’s Covered

Why Work with FIRGELLI?

FIRGELLI products are used in a wide range of real-world applications: hidden TV lifts, vehicle modifications, industrial fixtures, adjustable workstations, robotics, agricultural equipment, hatch and door automation, test rigs, home automation, and one-off inventions. That variety makes the work practical and rarely repetitive. A customer may arrive with a CAD model, a napkin sketch, a broken prototype, or only a goal such as “lift this panel smoothly without taking up much space.” The job is to ask the right questions, understand the constraints, and help move the project toward a working solution.

People who do well here tend to be curious and direct. They do not guess when a load calculation is needed. They know that a 100 lb object does not automatically require a 100 lb actuator, because linkage geometry, friction, angle, speed, stroke, duty cycle, and mounting stiffness all change the answer. They also know that a technically correct answer still needs to be clear enough for a builder to use in the shop.

If you want a better sense of the company’s background and product philosophy, you can read more about Robbie Dickson, founder of FIRGELLI, or explore the motion control and linear actuator blog.

Teams and Skills We Value

We are interested in people who can contribute to one or more of the following areas. You do not need to match every item. Strong candidates usually show depth in a few skills and a willingness to learn the rest.

Area Useful Skills Examples of Good Fit
Mechanical and mechatronics support Load calculations, linkage geometry, mounting design, CAD review, troubleshooting, actuator selection You can explain why side loading shortens actuator life, why brackets must be aligned, and why a door lift needs torque analysis rather than a simple weight check.
Electrical and controls DC motors, relays, limit switches, Arduino control, H-bridges, wiring diagrams, current draw, fusing You can help a customer avoid undersized wiring, voltage drop, reversed polarity mistakes, and control circuits that work on a bench but fail under load.
Product content and technical writing Clear diagrams, application notes, installation guides, comparison tables, practical examples You can turn an engineering explanation into instructions that a fabricator, installer, or hobbyist can follow without losing the important assumptions.
Customer success and sales engineering Question asking, application review, product matching, expectation setting, post-sale troubleshooting You can quickly identify whether the problem is force, stroke, speed, environment, duty cycle, mounting, control logic, or all of the above.
Operations and ecommerce Inventory accuracy, product data, order flow, process improvement, technical merchandising You care about details because the wrong stroke, voltage, bracket, or controller can delay a customer’s build.

The Engineering Mindset We Look For

Motion control is unforgiving when assumptions are weak. A good FIRGELLI team member is comfortable slowing down long enough to define the problem properly. Before recommending a product or design path, you should be thinking about the load, stroke, speed, duty cycle, power supply, control method, installation environment, available space, mounting rigidity, service access, and what happens if the mechanism stalls or reaches the end of travel.

For example, an actuator pushing a hinged lid is not simply lifting the lid’s weight. The required force depends on where the actuator mounts relative to the hinge, the angle of the actuator through the travel, the center of gravity of the lid, friction in the hinges, and any gas springs or counterbalances. A candidate who notices those details is far more useful than someone who only searches for the closest catalog number.

We also value people who understand tradeoffs. A faster actuator may have less force. A compact mounting position may increase the required force dramatically. A high-force actuator may need stronger brackets, a larger power supply, and better guarding. A control system that is simple for one actuator may become more complex when synchronization, position feedback, or obstacle detection is required. Good engineering is rarely about one perfect answer; it is about making the best decision from the known constraints and clearly stating the remaining risks.

Example: Thinking Through an Actuator Application

Assume a builder wants to automate a 60 lb hinged access panel. The first mistake would be to choose an actuator rated slightly above 60 lb and assume the job is done. A better review starts with questions:

  • Where is the panel’s center of gravity from the hinge?
  • Where can the actuator body and rod end be mounted without bending the shaft?
  • What is the required opening angle and stroke?
  • Does the actuator push, pull, or both during the travel?
  • Is the installation indoors, outdoors, dusty, wet, hot, cold, or exposed to vibration?
  • How many cycles per hour are expected?
  • Will a person be near the mechanism while it moves?

Using example assumptions only, if the panel’s center of gravity is 18 inches from the hinge and the actuator attaches very close to the hinge at a poor angle, the actuator may need several times the panel weight in force. Moving the attachment point farther from the hinge or improving the actuator angle can reduce force demand and improve reliability. That is why practical tools such as the Force Selector for linear actuators and the second class lever calculator are useful when reviewing applications.

The same mindset applies to electronics. If the actuator current is higher under load than on the bench, the wiring, switch, relay, controller, and power supply must be selected for the real load case, not the no-load test. Candidates with controls experience may enjoy resources such as the Arduino linear actuator control guide or engineering calculators like the H-bridge motor driver calculator.

Common Mistakes We Try to Help Customers Avoid

  • Ignoring side load: Linear actuators are designed to push and pull along their axis. Poor bracket alignment can side-load the shaft and shorten service life.
  • Choosing force before geometry: The mounting points often matter as much as the actuator rating.
  • Forgetting duty cycle: Repeated cycling can heat motors and electronics. The expected use pattern must be considered early.
  • Undersizing the power supply: A system can appear fine with no load but stall or reset when the actuator starts under real load.
  • Skipping end-of-travel planning: Limit switches, controllers, mechanical stops, and user procedures should all agree with each other.
  • Making maintenance impossible: Mounts should allow access to pins, fasteners, wiring, and replacement parts.

What to Send Us

If you would like to be considered for current or future opportunities, send a concise introduction through the contact method available on the site and tell us what you can contribute. A useful message is specific. Instead of only saying that you like engineering, show us what you have built, fixed, designed, measured, written, sold, or improved.

Helpful items include:

  • A short summary of the type of role you are looking for.
  • Your location, availability, and whether you are seeking full-time, part-time, contract, remote, hybrid, or on-site work.
  • Relevant experience with actuators, motors, controls, CAD, fabrication, ecommerce, customer support, technical writing, or operations.
  • Examples of projects, drawings, wiring diagrams, code samples, technical articles, product pages, customer support work, or process improvements.
  • A brief explanation of a problem you solved and the tradeoffs you considered.

If you have a portfolio project, explain the assumptions. For example: load estimate, stroke selection, mounting constraints, wiring method, safety considerations, test results, and what you would change in the next revision. A clear explanation of lessons learned is often more impressive than a perfect-looking build with no engineering detail.

Good Resources to Review Before Contacting Us

Applicants who understand FIRGELLI applications can usually have a much better conversation with us. You may want to review a few examples before reaching out:

Careers FAQ

Do I need a formal engineering degree to contact FIRGELLI?

Not always. Some roles benefit from formal engineering training, but practical experience, clear thinking, strong communication, and proven project work can also be valuable. If you understand mechanisms, wiring, customer problems, or technical content, show examples.

Are specific jobs open right now?

Open needs can change. This page is intended as a general careers introduction. If you contact us, be clear about the role type you are seeking and the skills you can offer.

What kind of portfolio is useful?

Useful portfolios show the problem, the assumptions, the design choices, and the result. Photos are helpful, but calculations, sketches, wiring notes, CAD screenshots, test observations, and a short explanation of failures or revisions are often more valuable.

What makes a strong technical support or sales engineering candidate?

Strong candidates can ask focused questions, identify missing information, explain tradeoffs without overcomplicating the answer, and avoid recommending a part before the load case and installation constraints are understood.

Can I apply if my background is ecommerce, operations, or content rather than engineering?

Yes. FIRGELLI relies on accurate product information, clear customer communication, organized operations, and useful educational content. Technical curiosity is important, but not every valuable role is a design engineering role.

If this sounds like the kind of work you enjoy, introduce yourself and tell us what you can help build, improve, explain, or support.