Robotics M.S. Student & Honors Mechanical Engineering Alumnus at the University of Delaware. Specializing in autonomous systems, control theory, and mechatronic design.

General Summary

I am a Robotics M.S. student at the University of Delaware, where I also completed my Honors B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics.

My engineering background bridges the gap between hardware and software. Through advanced coursework, laboratory research, and end-to-end project deployments, I have developed a strong foundation in mechatronic design, embedded systems, control loops, and middleware architectures. I enjoy adapting to new software tools, engaging in hands-on mechanical design, and applying mathematical concepts to solve complex, real-world physical challenges.

John Cahill Professional Headshot

Engineering & Career Objectives

My career objective is to design, develop, and deploy intelligent mechatronic systems by operating directly at the intersection of hardware and software. Rather than treating physical architectures and software stacks as isolated disciplines, I focus on bridging the gap between them—combining robust mechanical prototyping with the high-level logic and low-level firmware required to bring autonomous systems to life.

I am focused on roles within the robotics, automation, and mechanical engineering industries where I can apply my experience in both physical development and advanced software engineering. My technical interests are rooted in taking complex systems from concept to reality, which includes:

  • Middleware Architectures & Distributed Systems: Developing distributed applications within the ROS 2 framework. I am experienced with SLAM, writing custom C++ and Python nodes for system logic and control loops, and deploying autonomous frameworks onto physical mobile hardware.
  • Embedded Systems, Programming, & Sensing: Writing low-level C/C++ and Python firmware for microcontrollers (ESP32, Arduino, OpenCR). Experienced in implementing communication protocols (I2C, UDP, serial) to resolve hardware limits and stream raw sensor data into high-level processing stacks.
  • Mechanical Design, Automation, & Testing: Designing, simulating, and validating mechatronic systems using CAD, FEA, and rapid prototyping. This includes building structured control logic state machines for industrial automation assemblies featuring precise motor actuation and physical sensor gating.

Ultimately, I want to leverage my background in mechanical engineering and robotics to build predictable, optimized, and highly capable autonomous systems that solve tangible, real-world engineering challenges.