Tiffany Tao
Austin,TX
Summary
Mechanical and product design engineer specializing in electromechanical hardware for exergaming, VR and wearable products. Led projects from concept through pre-production, driving design iterations that enhance comfort and reliability while collaborating with manufacturing partners to optimize efficiency.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Product Design Engineer
Blue Goji
Austin, USA
01.2023 - Current
- Design and iterate ergonomic, user-facing controllers and other human-interface hardware for an exergaming platform, balancing comfort, mechanical packaging, electronics integration, manufacturability, reliability, and cost.
- Lead electromechanical integration across motors, encoders, optical sensors, load cells, Hall sensors, PCBs, power supplies, cables, and connectors; coordinate PCB/electronics development with external engineering partners.
- Work directly with manufacturing partners in China and Taiwan through prototype and pre-production builds, iterating designs with factory engineering teams to address DFM, assembly, fitment, process constraints, and cost.
- Drove new hardware from concept and rapid prototypes into factory pre-production builds and production support, leading a new product to a 50-unit beta/early-adopter build.
- Analyzed field failures and partnered with operations and manufacturing to identify design improvements, enhancing product reliability and production efficiency.
- Improve thermal performance of enclosed computing hardware through ventilation redesign and iterative temperature testing while balancing enclosure and product constraints.
Mechanical Product Design Engineer
Blue Goji
Austin, USA
06.2020 - 01.2023
- Designed production hardware using injection molding, overmolding, casting, sheet metal, stamping, CNC machining, and tube bending, working with suppliers to understand process and assembly constraints.
- Designed electromechanical systems, assemblies, and test fixtures using SolidWorks, rapid prototyping, machining, and hands-on build/debug for VR-based exercise hardware.
- Conducted user testing and integrated feedback on comfort, fit, ergonomics, and usability into mechanical design iterations for physical interfaces and exercise equipment.
- Established and managed company maker space (SLA 3D printer + desktop CNC mill), mentoring 10 graduate students in industry-sponsored product-development capstone.
Independent Hardware Engineering Consultant
Self
Austin, USA
01.2021 - Current
- Better Babies, LLC - Developed and prototyped skin-contact wearable breast pump from concept to working device, ensuring optimal comfort, fit, and mechanism performance
- Collaborated with suppliers to refine product specifications, aligning them with tooling capabilities
- Advised clients on engineering design and feasibility studies.
- Developed project plans and specifications for various engineering projects.
- Conducted risk assessments to identify potential project challenges.
Education
M.Eng. - Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Concentration
University of California, Berkeley
05-2020
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Design
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
06-2019
Skills
- Electromechanical assemblies
- User-centered design
- Hardware design
- Prototype design
- Product testing
- Engineering drawings
- SolidWorks
- Fusion 360
- Embedded systems
- SLA/FDM 3D printing
- CNC mill/lathe
- Injection molding
- Sheet metal
- Manufacturing design
- Prototyping methods
- Supplier collaboration
Timeline
Lead Product Design Engineer
Blue Goji
01.2023 - Current
Independent Hardware Engineering Consultant
Self
01.2021 - Current
Mechanical Product Design Engineer
Blue Goji
06.2020 - 01.2023
M.Eng. - Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Concentration
University of California, Berkeley
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Design
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)