Builder's Residency

Builder's Residency — MedTech (Floaid)

Location:
 IIT Madras Research Park, Chennai (on-site, flexible hours)

Duration:
 6 months (extendable)

Compensation:
 ₹5,000/month 
honorarium
 + 
performance bonuses
, 
PPO consideration
, and 
non-cash benefits
 (see below)

Openings:
 
Limited cohort
 — we admit only a handful (4) each cycle

Why this residency is special

Floaid is building next-gen life-support systems in India. Residents tackle first-principles problems across 
biomechanics, mechatronics, embedded systems, controls, and clinical safety
—not toy projects.

You'll ship real work into bench rigs and prototypes, get 
founder-level mentorship
, and have opportunities for 
authorship/patent credit
 on qualifying work. The stipend is symbolic; the 
outcome is career-defining
.

Tracks (pick one primary; cross-train freely)

• Biomechanics & Fluids:
   pump hydraulics, hemolysis test design, catheter flow modeling, bench experiments.
• Mechatronics & Hardware:
   motor drivers, sensors, EMI/EMC hygiene, fixture design, rapid prototyping.
• Embedded & UI:
   STM32/CAN, control loops, safety interlocks, 5"–12" display UIs (Qt/LVGL/TouchGFX).
• Data & Controls:
   DAQ pipelines (NI/analog), calibration, algorithm prototyping, test automation.
• Quality & Regulatory (MedTech):
   test protocols, IEC 60601/62304 exposure, verification records.
• Clinical Research Ops:
   literature synthesis, risk analyses, design inputs, usability studies.

Day-to-day

• Break down hard technical problems into experiments; design and run bench tests.
• Build quick, clean prototypes; document results others can reproduce.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and software teams; present weekly findings.
• Own a mini-project end-to-end (scope → plan → execute → measurable impact).

What success looks like

• Week 2:
   Reproduced a prior experiment/build and pushed a small improvement.
• Week 6:
   Designed and executed a test or feature that unblocks a team dependency.
• Week 12:
   Lead-owning a mini-module/test pack with data strong enough to inform design.

Benefits (beyond the stipend)

• Performance bonuses
   tied to clearly defined milestones.
• Meal support
   on lab/field days (canteen coupons or reimbursements per policy).
• Local travel reimbursements
   for approved lab/field work.
• Founder mentorship
   with weekly 1:1s and technical reviews.
• Patent & publication credit
   on eligible contributions.
• Hands-on lab access
   at IITM (fixtures, instruments, test rigs).
• Structured learning plan
   (MedTech safety, V&V, controls, fluid dynamics).
• PPO consideration
   for top performers + strong letters of recommendation.
• Conference/paper support
   (case-by-case for accepted work).
• Residency certificate
   detailing your contributions.

We bias value toward 
skills, authorship, and network
—the things that compound for your career.

You'll thrive here if you have

• Strong fundamentals in 
  one
   of: fluid mechanics/biomechanics, mechatronics, embedded C/C++, controls, or test engineering.
• Maker energy: you prototype, instrument, and debug systematically.
• Clear writing and clean documentation habits.
• Curiosity + grit: you enjoy tough, ambiguous problems and safety-critical thinking.

Nice-to-haves:
 CAD (SolidWorks/Fusion), PCB basics, Qt/LVGL/TouchGFX, MATLAB/Python for data, exposure to ISO/IEC standards, CFD/FEM familiarity.

Eligibility

Pre-final/final-year undergrads, postgrads, or recent grads in 
Biomed/Mech/EEE/Instrumentation/CS/Mechatronics
or adjacent fields. Exceptional self-taught builders welcome.

Timeline (Cohort & Deadlines)

• Cohort start:
   Week of
  13 October 2025
• Application deadline:
   15
  October 2025, 11:59 PM IST
• Process duration:
   ~2 days from application (apply early; 
  limited cohort
  )

Application process

1. Apply (10–15 mins):
    CV/portfolio + a short note on a project you're proud of.
2. Technical take-home (48 hrs):
    a bite-sized build/test relevant to your track.
3. Panel interview + lab tour:
    discuss your approach; meet the team.
4. Offer:
    cohort size is limited; we prioritize initiative and clarity of thought.

How to apply

Via linkdin