Asher OstrowskiMechanical Engineer

Designing, prototyping, and manufacturing hardware.

I'm a mechanical engineer with hands-on experience taking hardware from CAD to fabrication to testing. I led a seven-member chassis team on NC State's Formula SAE team and helped launch Ricoh's additive manufacturing center at NC State. I'm looking for an entry-level mechanical engineering role at a company or startup in San Francisco.

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01

Projects

4 projects · 2022–2026
  1. P-01Formula SAE chassis leadPack Motorsports
  2. P-02FEA validation using strain-gauge dataNC State / FSAE
  3. P-03Composite EV battery enclosureSenior Design
  4. P-04Additive manufacturing internshipRicoh
P-01

Formula SAE chassis lead

Organization
NC State Pack Motorsports
Dates
Oct 2022 – Jul 2026
Role
Chassis Engineering Lead
Problem
Develop both an electric and an internal-combustion competition chassis in a single season, while the team transitioned to EVs.
Role
Chassis Engineering Lead in 2025-2026. I led a seven-member team through design, fabrication, integration, and testing, while spending 40+ hours a week on it as a full-time student. Before the promotion, I designed and manufactured chassis components across five vehicle builds over three years, using CAD, machining, assembly, and TIG welding.
Process
I managed chassis requirements, structural analysis, and design reviews, and coordinated the interfaces with suspension, drivetrain, electrical, and high-voltage systems. I also improved the team's processes, resource allocation, manufacturing procedures, and technical documentation to meet deadlines and support future builds.
CAD model of the Formula SAE space-frame chassis with color-coded tubes CAD assembly of the electric chassis with its battery box and components mounted in the frame
Ansys static structural setup for the chassis, showing a fixed support, a 120 lbf remote force, and two remote displacements Ansys total deformation plot of the chassis under load, with a maximum deformation of 0.2107 inches
Finite element mesh of the battery enclosure, including its internal dividers Ansys steady-state thermal plot of the battery enclosure, with temperatures from about 7.6 to 57.2 degrees Celsius
Rear section of the Formula SAE chassis positioned in a fabrication jig Welded Formula SAE rear bulkhead being fabricated in a fixture Example of Formula SAE chassis fabrication and welding
Formula SAE internal-combustion car Formula SAE team at a car reveal
P-02

FEA validation using strain-gauge data

Organization
NC State University / Formula SAE
Recognition
2nd place, Cummins Innovation Award (FSAE Electric)
Problem
Compare finite element analysis (FEA) predictions for the chassis against physical strain-gauge measurements.
Role
I designed and fabricated a custom chassis test rig, and oversaw development of a PCB-amplifier system that collected and logged strain-gauge data from the vehicle chassis during on-track testing.
Process
I analyzed the simulation and test results to evaluate how accurate the model was.
FEA validation slideshow, slide 1 of 18

01 / 18

Download the full slideshow (PDF, 5 MB)

P-03

Composite EV battery enclosure

Program
Senior Design
School
NC State University
Problem
Design a lightweight composite enclosure for an EV battery.
Role
I worked in a team of five to develop and manufacture an original design for our senior design project. We built a composite battery enclosure for the Pack Motorsports FSAE Electric car. My main responsibilities were manufacturing design and composite FEA.
Process
We optimized the design to reduce weight while still meeting structural strength, fire resistance, and battery safety requirements.
Finite element mesh of the battery enclosure, including its internal dividers Completed composite battery enclosure assembly Ansys steady-state thermal plot of the battery enclosure, with temperatures from about 7.6 to 57.2 degrees Celsius
P-04

Additive manufacturing internship

Organization
Ricoh Center for Additive Manufacturing
Dates
Jul 2024 – Aug 2025
Problem
Help set up day-to-day engineering and production at Ricoh's new Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence at NC State.
Role
I was one of the first interns hired there. I coordinated equipment, materials, and manufacturing processes to take advanced 3D printing projects from design through production, working across engineering teams to turn concepts into manufacturable solutions.
Process
I refined manufacturing processes, established and wrote documentation for safety procedures, and researched new additive manufacturing applications, including metal additive manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing prototype displayed at the Ricoh Center Additively manufactured prototype component 3D printed prototype parts Ricoh additive manufacturing workspace and equipment
Additive manufacturing build in progress Additively manufactured prototype component Additive manufacturing prototype Additive manufacturing prototype
02

School FEA projects

Ansys coursework · NC State

Finite element analysis work from my mechanical engineering coursework at NC State.

Transient thermal analysis showing temperature distribution and results over time Static structural total deformation results for a meshed component Total deformation analysis of a circular component with radial fins Parametric response plot of equivalent stress against rotational velocity and fin height
Equivalent von Mises stress analysis of a structural bracket Modal analysis showing the fifth mode shape and total deformation
03

About me

NC State · Class of 2026

I’m drawn to work where ideas become useful things you can build, test, and improve. That curiosity took me from high-school robotics to mechanical engineering at NC State, where I paired my engineering studies with a minor in Forest Management. I enjoy solving hands-on problems with a team, especially in robotics, electric vehicles, and hardware development.

My interest in engineering goes hand in hand with caring about the places and resources our work affects. Spending a summer on conservation and trail projects in Colorado gave me a direct appreciation for the effort it takes to care for public lands. I want to keep that perspective in my engineering work: make thoughtful design choices, use materials and energy responsibly, and build solutions that are useful over the long term.

Graduation photo in a red NC State gown, seated beside the Formula SAE car Kneeling beside Formula SAE car number 89 at an event
Rappelling down a boulder field beside a waterfall Holding an NC State flag on a snowy Colorado mountain summit Rock climbing a granite cliff surrounded by pine trees Standing on the roof rack of a pickup truck parked on the beach at sunset

Notes: what has shaped my approach

  1. Learning by building

    At NC State, I studied mechanical engineering and completed a minor in Forest Management. I’ve found that I learn best by moving between analysis and hands-on work—asking questions, trying an approach, and using what happens to make the next version better.

  2. Time in the field

    Rocky Mountain Conservancy · Boulder, Colorado · Summer 2023

    With AmeriCorps, I joined National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service crews on conservation and trail work. Weeks in the backcountry—planning routes, improving drainage, restoring trails, and working with specialized tools—taught me to respect the environment, work carefully with limited resources, and rely on the people around me.

  3. Staying connected to student engineering

    After competing in Formula SAE, I returned as an alumni structural design reviewer. It’s rewarding to help student teams think critically about their designs, engineering evidence, and safety.

  4. Where it started

    FIRST Robotics was my first experience turning a rough idea into a working machine. I spent four years with Team SPORK #3196, taking on mechanical, project-planning, and driving roles. That mix of building and teamwork is still a big part of what I enjoy about engineering.

  5. Thinking beyond the design

    Through NC State’s Albright Entrepreneurs Village, I’ve also explored how engineering ideas move toward real products. It’s helped me think about not only whether something works, but who it serves and how it can be made practical.

04

Skills

Bill of materials
ItemGroupDetails
01Design and engineeringCAD (Solidworks, Fusion, Autodesk, etc.), MATLAB, mechanical design, FEA (Ansys Mechanical), structural analysis, vehicle systems
02Manufacturing and fabricationTIG welding, machining, prototyping, tooling, assembly
03Additive manufacturingFDM, SLA, SLS, production workflows, process development
04EV and roboticsEV systems, robotics, hardware development, subsystem integration, testing
05

Contact

Open to roles in San Francisco

I'm looking for an entry-level mechanical engineering role in San Francisco. The best way to reach me is email.

Email asherdostrowski@gmail.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/asher-ostrowski