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Jonathan Lopez-Hernandez

@jonathanlopez-hernan

Mechanical engineering intern at Sensient Agricultural Ingredients who designed stainless-steel flow components and automated onion-height measurements.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I'm seeking R&D, Prototyping, or New Product Development roles where I can bridge mechanical design, hands-on fabrication, and software automation.

At Sensient Agricultural Ingredients, I investigated uneven onion dehydration and designed mechanical flow-distribution components to address airflow channeling. I fabricated stainless steel 302 parts and used Fusion 360 models with PyChrono/Python simulations to analyze material flow.

I also created a Python script that uses laser or mobile-camera measurements to calculate object heights and generate data for evaluating the redesign. For the facility, I authored plant-wide Standard Operating Procedures covering equipment, steps, and troubleshooting.

In the Martini Research Group, I built MATLAB heating estimates and a finite-difference model that predicted temperatures within 16% of DAQ measurements. My work spans mechanical design, hands-on prototyping, thermal-fluid analysis, controls, and software automation, supported by a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Electrical Engineering.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Engineering/Maintenance Intern

Current

Sensient Agricultural Ingredients

Jun 2026 - Present (5 months)

Investigated and resolved root causes of inconsistent onion dehydration quality by diagnosing uneven bed thickness and airflow channeling. Built 3D plant layouts in Fusion 360 and ran discrete element simulations, designed and fabricated stainless steel parts, directed contractors, developed Python scripts for measurements, and authored plant-wide SOPs.

Fusion 360 PyChrono Python Sheet Metal Fabrication Stainless Steel Contractor Management SOP Development EHS Quality Control (QC)

Tribologist Researcher

Martini Research Group, University of California, Merced

May 2023 - May 2026 (3 years)

Generated visual graphs and 3D charts to simulate lubricant effects on surfaces under ball-rolling motion. Implemented DAQ with Raspberry Pi and thermocouples, built MATLAB heating-time models, and modeled a heated AA1100 lid for production readiness.

Matlab Python Raspberry Pi DAQ Thermocouples Finite Difference Method Energy Balances AA1100 3D Modeling

Relations Representative

Students First Center, University of California, Merced

Mar 2023 - May 2026 (3 years 2 months)

Provided comprehensive advice to UC Merced applicants and students on admissions, registration, billing, and financial aid. Developed a Python program using PyPDF2 to extract and organize data from PDF reports, automating report generation and performance monitoring.

Python PyPDF2 Data Extraction Report Automation Communication Skills Student Services

Computational Chemist

Tabor Research Group, Texas A&M University

May 2025 - Aug 2025 (3 months)

Ran molecular dynamics simulations in Linux-based HPC environments applying 10 GPa hydrostatic pressure for mechanochemistry applications. Developed a Python script to screen over 2,000 molecular group combinations and presented findings to an audience of 50+.

Linux HPC Molecular Dynamics Python Data Analysis Presentation Skills Mechanochemistry

Lead Enrollment Coach

Students First Center, University of California, Merced

Mar 2023 - May 2025 (2 years 2 months)

Managed a team of six Enrollment Coaches using Salesforce, Zoom, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams, improving response times by 20%. Provided direct support to over 360 students during onboarding for Fall 2024.

Salesforce Zoom Outlook Microsoft Teams Team Management Student onboarding Communication Skills