# Thuan Doan > Staff / Lead Mechanical Engineer @ Figure | ex-Apple Product Design Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/thuan I am a mechanical engineer / product design engineer that has a track record of designing parts and systems for everything — from one-off rapid prototypes for trade-studies of next-gen product to products that are in mass production and delivered to customers. I have hands-on experience designing and building mechanical systems, and strive to combine theory and practical skills to create effective solutions. My experience ranges from early-stage development — including analysis, trade-off studies, and rapid build prototypes — to full implementation, covering DFM, DFA, tolerance analysis, contract manufacturer engagement, and production ramp. I have direct experience working at contract manufacturing facilities and a proven history of leading cross-functional teams effectively. ## Work Experience ### Staff Mechanical Engineer, Team Lead @ Figure Jan 2025 – Present ### Senior Mechanical Engineer @ Figure Jan 2025 – Present ### Product Design Engineer @ Apple Jan 2022 – Jan 2025 | Cupertino, California, United States Vision Products Group (VPG) ### Product Design Engineer @ Apple Jan 2017 – Jan 2022 | San Francisco Bay Area As a mechanical and product design engineer within the Special Projects Group (SPG), I have had extensive experience in every step of R&D, from early-stage product/concept development to the design, manufacturing, and integration of large-scale integrated test platforms. • Designed and built parts/systems for proof of concept testing, user-experience demonstration, and technology testing rigs. Components ranged from user-facing, cosmetic (A-surface) parts to technology bucks where structure, durability, and modularity was prioritized. • Led cross-functional efforts with module teams, requirement/attribute groups to deliver integrated systems with mechanical, structural, and thermal components. • Driving the answer to first-order questions to enable the creative vision of ID while evaluating and communicating technical constraints and design trade-offs. ### Product Design Engineering Intern @ Apple Jan 2016 – Jan 2016 | Cupertino, CA • Designed and fabricated several test setups through collaboration with electrical engineering, materials, and product design teams for benchmarking technologies and user experience studies • Developed, implemented, and presented mathematical model from ground up to optimize, analyze, and understand tradeoffs of considered glass technologies ### Undergraduate Researcher @ MIT Media Lab - Biomechatronics Group Jan 2014 – Jan 2015 | Cambridge, Massachusetts • Developed novel torsion spring design for robotics and exoskeleton applications capable of undergoing 5 times the angular deflection of existing solutions to be utilized in experimental exoskeleton design • Modeled and analyzed design parameters to optimize spring efficiency, deflection, and form factor to provide context for future spring development and applications ### Mechanical Engineering Intern @ Nest Labs (Google) Jan 2014 – Jan 2014 | Palo Alto, California • Designed tests and analyzed data to optimize smoke detector test setups; changes decreased run variation by 15% and were implemented in R&D and production facilities • Designed mechanical experimental setups for extraneous transient certification testing currently used in smoke detector R&D • Documented experimentation processes, findings, and best practices in report that is currently used to train lab technicians • Performed general project management for standards certification of multiple products in different stages of development ### Undergraduate Researcher @ MIT Laboratory for Biomechanics and Human Rehabilitation Jan 2013 – Jan 2013 | Cambridge, Massachusetts The MIT Skywalker Project is a two-tracked, robotic system that aimed to provide gait therapy by allowing for self-directed movement rather than imposing the kinematics of gait. Because research has found that neural input and stimulation results in more effective therapy programs, the system is meant to explore a new, more effective of method of gait rehabilitation. • Redesigned, manufactured, and implemented unique body weight support system that accounts for pelvic DOF during gait in support of the MIT Skywalker system ### Undergraduate Researcher @ MIT Laboratory for Manufacturing & Productivity Jan 2012 – Jan 2013 | Cambridge, Massachusetts • Designed and manufactured test rig that integrated rover wheel and sensors used in quantifying soil-wheel interactions in support of Mars Curiosity Mission ### Robotics Engineering Intern - Mechanical @ Boston Dynamics Jan 2012 – Jan 2012 | Waltham, Massachusetts • Completed assembly design, fabrication, and testing of hydraulically-actuated humanoid hands which were implemented in Petman • Designed and delivered physical prototype of electronic enclosures for new iteration of cheetah robot within strict dimensional, geometric, and functional requirements • Provided engineering support including FEA, hardware design, engineering drawings, and prototyping for Wildcat ## Education ### Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering University of Michigan ### Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology ### High School California Academy of Math & Science ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/thuanddoan - Portfolio: http://www.thuandoan.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/thuan JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/thuan/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13