▶ You are herePick your subrole below, then follow its Rookie → Specialist → Lead track.
⚙️ Engineer Subroles
ℹ️
Engineering is too broad for one person. Strong teams divide into subroles and each person owns their area. Pick your subrole, follow your track. Leads emerge from Specialists who document and teach.
Follow build guides step-by-step. Assemble a drivetrain using the pre-check checklist. Ask before changing anything.
2
Contributor
Build & troubleshoot independently
Rebuild a mechanism from the CAD model. Diagnose and fix a mechanical failure without help. Run the pre-check independently every session.
3
Specialist
Own a subsystem
You own the drivetrain or a specific mechanism. You maintain it, document every change in the notebook, and can rebuild from scratch in under 20 minutes.
4
Lead Engineer
Coordinate the build
You make structural decisions, mentor Rookies, and align with CAD and Programming so the robot is competition-ready as a system — not a collection of parts.
What success looks like: The robot has never lost a match to a mechanical failure. Pre-checks are a habit. You can diagnose any mechanical issue in under 2 minutes and document it before touching anything.
🔎 When Something Breaks
⚠️
Stop building if something feels forced. Forced fit = misalignment = failure mid-match. Define the exact symptom, reproduce it 3 times, isolate mechanical vs software, change ONE thing, then log it.
Step 1
🔎 Inspect
Define the exact symptom. Reproduce it 3 times. If you can't reproduce it, you don't understand it yet.
Step 2
⚙️ Isolate
Mechanical or software? Test the mechanism manually before blaming code.
Step 3
🔧 Fix & Test
Change ONE thing. Retest. Multiple changes = no clear conclusion.
Step 4
📝 Log It
What changed, what happened. Notebook entry — do it now, not later.
All structural drive screws, axle collars, pivot points
Using Red (permanent) or skipping — screws vibrate loose
Must Use
Nylon Lock Nuts
Anywhere a nut must stay tight through movement
Using regular nuts on pivot screws — they back off every match
Must Use
Anti-Slip Mat
Under motors, inside gear housings, intake rollers
Cutting too small — it shifts and jams mechanisms
Recommended
Keps Nuts
Structural frame, non-moving joints
Using on moving joints — work loose under vibration
Optional
Pneumatic Fittings
Reservoir-to-solenoid-to-cylinder connections
Hand-tight only — always use thread tape on NPT fittings
Critical
⚡
Electrical Engineer
Wiring · Battery · Sensors
You own everything that carries power or signal. A single bad cable or wrong port number can end a match — your standards are the team's reliability floor.
Wire a robot using the port assignment guide. Complete the wiring section of the pre-check. Know what ESD is and how to prevent it.
2
Contributor
Diagnose and re-wire independently
Trace and fix a cable failure without help. Manage battery rotation for a full competition day. Mount a distance or GPS sensor correctly.
3
Specialist
Own wiring + sensors end-to-end
You own port assignments, cable routing, and all sensor placement. You can re-wire the robot from scratch in under 15 minutes and document the config in the notebook.
4
Lead Engineer
Set the wiring standard
You define port assignment conventions, train others, and run the competition-morning wiring check. You coordinate with Programming on port numbers and sensor placement.
What success looks like: The team has never lost a match to a wiring failure. Battery rotation is on a schedule. Port assignments are documented and match the code. Every sensor is mounted, tested, and verified before competition morning.
Pre-competition electrical checklist: Full battery charge, all cables fully seated (click them in), port assignments verified against code, sensors calibrated, ESD strap on robot at events.
💻
Programmer
Driver Control · Autonomous · Sensors
You write the code that makes the robot do what the driver needs and the autonomous do what the strategist planned. Reliability matters more than cleverness.
Install VS Code, PROS, and EZ Template. Modify an existing autonomous. Upload code to the Brain. Know what each motor port does.
2
Contributor
Write and tune independently
Write a full autonomous from scratch. Tune PID using the EZ Template tuner. Use Git to save competition builds. Diagnose a failing autonomous without help.
3
Specialist
Own the codebase
You maintain the codebase, write all autonomous routines, implement sensor-based positioning, and can rebuild a full competition config in one session if needed.
4
Lead Engineer
Drive code decisions
You decide the code architecture, review all changes before competition, align with the strategist on autonomous strategy, and mentor newer programmers.
What success looks like: 8 of 10 auton runs hit target. Driver control is tuned to the driver's preference. Every build is committed to Git. PID constants are documented in the notebook.
📊 Pre-Competition Code Checklist
💻 Competition Build Check
Git commit tagged: "Competition build — [date]"
Tag the commit so you can revert if needed
Critical
All autonomous routines tested and run correctly
Test every routine, not just the main one
Critical
Auton consistency: 8/10 runs within target
Below 80% → downgrade to safer routine
Critical
Motor port assignments match physical robot
One wrong port number breaks auton entirely
Critical
Driver control tested by actual driver — 2+ full matches
Set up Onshape with the VEX library. Navigate a Part Studio. Dimension a simple bracket. Know the difference between a Part Studio and an Assembly.
2
Contributor
Model a drivetrain, hand off to build
Model a full drivetrain in CAD. Generate a BOM and screw plan. Hand it off to the Mechanical engineer so they can build without asking questions.
3
Specialist
Own the design system
You own the full Onshape document. All mechanisms are modeled before cutting. CAD screenshots are in the Orange notebook slides. Custom parts are exported for fabrication.
4
Lead Engineer
Drive design decisions
You run the tradeoff matrix, make the mechanism selection with documented reasoning, and ensure no metal is cut without a verified CAD model.
What success looks like: The robot was built from CAD. Every design decision has a documented reason. The build team never guessed a shaft length or gear ratio. CAD screenshots are in the Orange notebook slides.
CAD is not optional for a competitive engineer. Top teams build the drivetrain in Onshape before touching metal — correct shaft lengths, no interference, verified gear ratios, notebook screenshots from the model.
📈 The Engineer Progression
Every subrole follows the same four levels. You don't advance by time — you advance by what you can do independently.
Level 1
Rookie
Follows instructions step-by-step
Uses guides and asks before changing
Completes pre-checks when prompted
Level 2
Contributor
Builds / codes / wires independently
Tests and logs results unprompted
Documents changes in the notebook
Level 3
Specialist
Owns a subsystem end-to-end
Sets standards for their subrole
Rebuilds from scratch under pressure
Level 4
Lead Engineer
Makes technical decisions
Coordinates between subroles
Mentors Rookies and Contributors
Owns competition readiness
👥 How Engineering Teams Grow
Subroles don't stay isolated. As the season progresses, specialists start coordinating — and that's when the robot gets significantly better.
Phase 1 — Early Season
Everyone builds
Assign subroles even if one person covers two. Ownership prevents confusion about who is responsible for what when things break.
Phase 2 — Mid Season
Subroles diverge
Each subrole goes deeper. The Programmer owns the codebase. The CAD engineer models before cutting. Coordination happens at check-ins.
Phase 3 — Competition
Leads emerge
One engineer steps into the Lead role — making cross-subrole calls and owning competition readiness. Usually the Specialist who also documents well.
Engineering depth is built in subrole tracks. This section is about what that depth is for — how you support your squad, what you own at each event, and how the team stays ready when anything changes.
"Your role is what you train to master. Your squad is where you compete right now."
Engineer role pair
Qualifier Squad
🧰 Qualifier Engineer
↔
League Squad
🧰 League Engineer
What training partners build together
✓Build reps — both engineers work through the same assemblies, tolerances, and fit-checks side by side
✓Repair reps — timed breakdown and rebuild drills so both engineers know how to respond fast under match pressure
✓Pre-check routines — both engineers run the pre-check checklist on the same robot and compare findings
✓CAD thinking — mechanism decisions, tradeoff reasoning, and handoff notes are reviewed by both engineers before builds go forward
✓Programming support — both engineers understand the codebase well enough to support the programmer in a pit window
✓Reflection — after every session and event, both engineers debrief what broke, what held, and what to improve before the next event
In-class responsibilities — every engineer, every session
✓Build quality — every screw is tight, every bearing seated, every axle collar locked. Sloppy builds fail at the worst time.
✓Reliability standards — the robot should never lose a match to a mechanical or electrical failure. That is your personal standard.
✓Inspection readiness — know the inspection checklist cold. Size limits, legal parts, wiring rules, motor count. If you're surprised at inspection, you didn't prepare.
✓Repair speed — you can diagnose any mechanical issue in under 2 minutes and fix common failures in under a 3-minute pit window.
✓CAD and mechanism planning — design before you build. CAD decisions are documented. No metal is cut without a reason.
✓Programming support — you understand the code well enough to upload a build, re-run auton, and communicate failures to the programmer accurately.
✓Testing discipline — change one thing, retest, log it. Every session ends with a build log entry. What changed. What it changed for.
Event assignments
League Squadat league events
League Engineer owns pit and field-readiness
Run pre-match checks before every queue
Manage battery rotation and wiring readiness
Execute emergency repairs in the pit window
Log every repair and incident for the post-event debrief
Qualifier Squadat qualifiers
Qualifier Engineer owns pit and field-readiness
Run the full inspection checklist before the event opens
Pre-match check before every queue — no exceptions
Battery and wiring readiness for every match
League Engineer runs the scout lens — watching from the stands
Scout lens — what the League Engineer watches at qualifiers
The League Engineer at qualifiers has an active job — engineering observation. You are watching every match for the hardware details that only an engineer will notice.
Mechanism performance
Which intakes, lifts, and launchers are working reliably — and which are failing repeatedly
Auton reliability
Does the robot's autonomous run consistently? Count hits and misses across multiple matches
Intake consistency
Does the intake pick up cleanly every time, or does the driver compensate for jams and misses?
Weak points
Where does the robot consistently slow down, stop, or lose cycles? Note the exact moment in the match
Repair patterns
Watch pit areas. What are teams fixing between matches — and does it keep breaking?
Build quality under pressure
Which robots hold together across a full match day — and what separates them from the ones that don't
Bring your observations to the post-qualifier debrief with your Engineer pair. These notes feed directly into the next build session and your team's alliance selection data.
⚙️
Why engineering depth matters
Two engineers who both understand the robot — its tolerances, failure modes, port assignments, and repair sequences — are significantly more reliable than one engineer who holds all the knowledge alone. If one engineer is absent, the team is not stuck. If squad assignments change, the build knowledge moves with the person, not the role.
That's what paired training builds: a team where engineering knowledge is shared, not siloed.
Tournament roll call
Before every tournament, the team holds a tournament role roll call. Every engineer is expected to be ready to cover pit, inspection, repair, or support responsibilities. Running the pre-check and logging build sessions every week is how you stay ready to fill in when the team needs you.
How class work prepares you for either assignment
Build and repair logs
Every session entry is evidence of readiness — for your coach, your pair, and yourself at tournament prep
Pre-check habit
Running the 16-point checklist every session means competition morning is not a scramble — it's just another rep
Auton consistency tracker
8 of 10 autonomous runs within target is the bar — and that bar applies regardless of which squad competes