Omar Banafa

Mechanical & Robotics Engineer

Mechanical Engineering graduate with hands-on experience in robotics prototyping, mechanical integration, and cross-functional system development. Experienced in translating CAD into build-ready assemblies, debugging hardware during integration, and closing feedback loops through documentation and iteration. Strong background in robotics systems, controls, and mechatronics with a practical, execution-focused engineering mindset.

💼 Experience

Mechanical Design Engineer

Vista Robotics — San Jose, CA

June 2024 – August 2025

Owned mechanical build readiness for spinal-robot prototypes by translating CAD and drawings into detailed assembly plans and tooling setups.
Assembled and mechanically debugged robot-to-base interfaces during system integration, achieving successful fit-for-test builds with minimal rework.
Captured assembly learnings and constraints into build documentation, reducing ambiguity and improving repeatability for future prototype iterations.

Mechanical Design Intern

Vista Robotics — San Jose, CA

August 2024 – May 2025

Coordinated electrical and design validation planning for a spinal-robot base with a 5-person cross-functional team.
Led the electrical design workstream for a two-semester industry project, defining requirements, iterating schematics, and tracking action items.
Ran weekly advisor syncs and documented decisions to maintain consistent execution and clean handoffs across project phases.

Quality Assurance Technician

BAMREC — Los Gatos, CA

April 2021 – July 2022

Identified and reported critical, major, and minor bugs during development of production applications.
Authored and maintained 100+ TestRail test cases and trained new team members, improving defect detection consistency and ramp-up speed.

🚀 Projects

Word Tracer Robot

Developed a MATLAB/Simulink pipeline that converts user text into executable Aubo i5 robot trajectories using inverse kinematics.
Integrated motion planning outputs with physical hardware and iteratively tuned trajectory parameters against observed robot behavior.
Improved path accuracy and repeatability through model refinement and repeated validation tests.

MATLAB Simulink Robotics Inverse Kinematics

Mechatronics Fire-Response Rover (Team Lead)

Led a 4-person team through rapid prototyping iterations to design and build an autonomous fire-response rover.
Integrated ultrasonic and IR sensors, servos, and pump actuation into a functional mechatronic system.
Implemented and debugged C++ control logic to enable reliable autonomous detection and suppression behavior.
Validated system performance through structured testing and iterative refinement.

C++ Arduino Mechatronics Controls

Self-Balancing Robot

Designed and implemented a self-balancing robotic system as part of a mechatronics course project to apply control theory on physical hardware.
Modeled electromechanical dynamics in MATLAB and Simulink and deployed state-space controllers (LQR and Ackermann-based pole placement) to an Arduino using MPU-6050 IMU feedback.
Tuned control gains and filtering techniques to mitigate sensor noise and drift, improving robustness to external disturbances.
Achieved stable closed-loop balancing for 20+ seconds and validated performance through open-loop and closed-loop testing.

Controls MATLAB Simulink Arduino MPU-6050 LQR

NASA Community College Aerospace Scholar

Supported Mars rover subsystem trade studies under strict budget and performance constraints.
Evaluated design feasibility, cost, and mission requirements to support subsystem optimization decisions.
Contributed drill and dig-mechanism concepts to improve excavation performance within program constraints.

Aerospace Systems Engineering Design Trade Studies

🎓 Education

B.S. Mechanical Engineering

San José State University

Fall 2022 – Spring 2025

A.S. Mathematics

Mission College

Fall 2019 – Spring 2022

⚡ Skills

Engineering

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

MATLAB

Simulink

C++

Python

Hardware

Arduino

Raspberry Pi Pico

Machining

Mill

Lathe

Bandsaw

Drill Press

📬 Contact

📧 [email protected]

💼 linkedin.com/OmarBanafa

📍 Milpitas, CA