Renato Villacres Mechanical engineering

Mechanical design,
put to the test.

I enjoy taking an idea from CAD into the lab: building prototypes, understanding how they behave, and using test results to guide the next design decision.

That curiosity has taken me from smart-city hardware at Ubicquia to a thermal research system at Tecnológico de Monterrey.

University of Cincinnati B.S. Mechanical Engineering, May 2027

Open to full-time engineering roles starting in 2027.

View Projects View Résumé
Renato Villacres

Experience

Where I've learned and built.

UbicquiaTwo engineering co-op rotations
Tecnológico de MonterreyArchitected materials research
University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied ScienceMechanical Engineering · CAD course support

The timeline

Experience &
selected projects.

Each step added a new layer: design, documentation, testing, research, and ownership.

Next chapter

Full-time engineering · 2027

Product design · Validation · Manufacturing

Aug 2026 — Present

Cincinnati, Ohio · Part-time

Siemens NX · Review focus

  • Sketch constraints
  • Model accuracy
  • Engineering drawings

University of Cincinnati · CEAS

Engineering Design Graphics Grader

Student Associate · MECH 1072C · Fall 2026 appointment through December 18

Support the assessment of 72 students learning engineering design with Siemens NX, with a focus on accurate geometry and clear technical communication.

  • Grade coursework covering sketch constraints, part modeling, assemblies, engineering views, and 2D drawings.
  • Review geometric accuracy and assignment completeness using instructor-defined rubrics, documenting scores and specific feedback.
  • Coordinate with the course instructor to keep evaluations consistent with assignment requirements and grading policies.

Siemens NX · Parametric modeling · Engineering drawings · Technical review · Written feedback

May 2026 — Aug 2026

Cincinnati, Ohio
PawGuard autonomous monitoring rover

University of Cincinnati · EEP

PawGuard Autonomous Monitoring Rover

A complete virtual product-development study for a compact rover designed to help monitor my senior dog when no one is home.

  • Developed the SolidWorks assembly, internal component packaging, drivetrain layout, sensing concept, and safety bumper system.
  • Delivered engineering drawings, exploded views, BOM, budget analysis, final renders, and animation.

SolidWorks · GD&T · Product design · Engineering communication

View the complete case study

Aug 2025 — Dec 2025

Querétaro, Mexico
Exploded CAD view of the architected-materials thermal test apparatus

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Architected Materials Research Platform

Extended a graduate research foundation into a redesigned apparatus and controlled study of heat flow through porous polymers.

  • Redesigned the test rig, modular guard, controls enclosure, electronics, Arduino firmware, and data-acquisition workflow.
  • Completed 12 thermal-conductivity runs across two materials and two topologies; Onyx replicates stayed at or below 1.43% coefficient of variation.

nTop · CAD · Arduino · Thermocouples · Experimental research

View the complete case study

Jan 2025 — Apr 2025

Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Ubicquia streetlight hardware overlooking a city

Ubicquia

Mechanical-Thermal Engineering Co-op · Rotation II

Advanced product readiness through thermal validation, prototyping, and practical manufacturing improvements.

  • Led 30+ thermal validation tests; improved thermal performance by 35% through heatsink, airflow, and interface changes.
  • Built an assembly fixture and automated immersion-testing system to improve production and test setup.

Thermal validation · Creo · Prototyping · Manufacturing support

Explore this rotation

Aug 2024 — Dec 2024

Cincinnati, Ohio
01

Problem solving

02

Clear feedback

03

Robot demonstrations

University of Cincinnati · CEAS

Teaching Assistant

Supported foundational engineering courses through problem solving, feedback, and hands-on demonstrations.

  • Coached students during class and one-on-one homework sessions to strengthen engineering fundamentals.
  • Helped organize school-wide robot demonstrations and supported grading and course operations.

Communication · Mentoring · Engineering fundamentals

May 2024 — Aug 2024

Fort Lauderdale, Florida
UbiCell Micro shown alongside UbiScout and UbiVu in a public company image

Ubicquia

Mechanical Engineering Co-op · Rotation I

Supported product readiness through CAD, engineering documentation, validation, and accelerated-life testing.

  • Designed and optimized 10+ Creo components and produced 15+ detailed engineering drawings with GD&T.
  • Led an accelerated-life test representing more than 1,000 hours of product operation.

Creo · GD&T · Design for manufacturing · Reliability testing

Explore this rotation

About me

An international perspective.
A hands-on approach.

I'm from Ecuador and study mechanical engineering at the University of Cincinnati. My work in the U.S. and Mexico has taken me from component design and production drawings to thermal testing and experimental research.

I also support Engineering Design Graphics at UC, assessing Siemens NX coursework for 72 students.

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