Melody M. Chu

Designer & Engineer blending mechanical design, UX, and interactive technology

FEATURED PROJECTS

Jan 2025 - May 2025

OurCity

Children build with physical blocks to shape an immersive digital city.

Role: Hardware Lead + Interaction Designer Proof: Arduino sensing · Unity integration · Child-centered play

OurCity

Children build with physical blocks to shape an immersive digital city.

Role: Hardware Lead + Interaction Designer Proof: Arduino sensing · Unity integration · Child-centered play

Oct 9, 2024

Junk Jenius

A one-button machine that cuts, drains, and crushes plastic bottles in a single satisfying motion.

Role: Mechanical Lead + Fabricator Proof: 200 lbf actuator · 20+ user tests · Best Prototype

Junk Jenius

A one-button machine that cuts, drains, and crushes plastic bottles in a single satisfying motion.

Role: Mechanical Lead + Fabricator Proof: 200 lbf actuator · 20+ user tests · Best Prototype

March 2025 - May 2025

Smart Fridge

A camera-equipped fridge that recognizes produce and helps users cook with it before it expires.

Role: Product + Interaction Designer Proof: Computer vision · Physical fabrication · Interactive UI

Smart Fridge

A camera-equipped fridge that recognizes produce and helps users cook with it before it expires.

Role: Product + Interaction Designer Proof: Computer vision · Physical fabrication · Interactive UI

Professional Experience

LIST INDUSTRIES

Product Engineer

09/2025 - 07/2026

Engineer configurable locker and cabinet systems from CAD through production.

• Produced and maintained 100+ SolidWorks models, AutoCAD drawings, BOMs, machining files, and manufacturing documents across wood and phenolic product lines. • Develop new products and custom configurations, resolving hardware, fit, assembly, and manufacturability issues through design revisions and shop-floor feedback.

RELATIVITY SPACE

Vehicle Mechanisms Engineering Intern

05/2024 - 08/2024

Designed manufacturing tools and reverse-engineered aerospace hardware under tight technical constraints.

• Reverse-engineered proprietary sensors through teardown, measurement, CAD reconstruction, and first-principles analysis, producing documentation for in-house manufacturing. • Designed and fabricated a custom thruster installation tool, validating its structural integrity under a 500 N load through hand calculations and FEA.

BAM! INC.

Lead Product Designer

01/2025 - 07/2025

Led early product development for interactive smart kitchenware from concept through alpha prototyping.

• Translated initial design references into a cohesive product vision and documented design language for the broader team. • Developed the product from early ideation through manufacturable CAD handoff, balancing ergonomics, user needs, and injection-molding feasibility. • Created 15+ clay, cardboard, and 3D-printed prototypes to evaluate form, interaction, and usability.

BIMOTAL INC.

Mechanical Design Intern

05/2023 - 08/2023

Developed compact e-bike hardware and mechanical testing equipment.

• Created 20+ sketches and SolidWorks concepts for battery enclosures, balancing packaging, ergonomics, visual design, and interface placement. • Built 3D-printed prototypes to evaluate form, fit, and usability. • Designed, machined, and assembled a dyno-compatible NVH test rig for competitor sound and performance benchmarking.

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY - DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING

Teaching Assistant

01/2024 - 05/2025

CARNEGIE MELLON - CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC PARTICLE STUDIES

Research Assistant

06/2022 - 08/2022

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY - DESIGN RESEARCH COLLECTIVE

Research Assistant

05/2022 - 09/2022

NASA GODDARD

Electromechanical Systems Engineering Intern

08/2020 - 08/2021