Ajay Neginhal

Experience

Industry and Research Timeline

Roles across automation engineering, biomedical design leadership, and molecular dynamics research.

Automation / Controls Engineering Intern

Southern Cabinetry Inc.

May 2025 - Present

United States

Controls and automation work for manufacturing equipment with a focus on PLC logic, drive integration, and operator-facing tooling.

  • Developed and iterated ControlLogix ladder logic for conveyors, sensors, and safety interlocks to stabilize automated material flow.
  • Integrated VFDs, photoeyes, and motor starters; validated I/O maps and fault handling during commissioning.
  • Built Ignition HMI/SCADA views and alarm logic to speed troubleshooting and operator handoff.
  • Documented electrical schematics, panel layouts, and change logs to support maintenance and future upgrades.
Rockwell ControlLogixLadder LogicVFDsConveyorsIgnition SCADAIndustrial NetworksSensorsSafety Interlocks

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Arya Laboratory, Duke University

Nov 2024 - Present

Durham, NC

Computational research in protein allostery and molecular dynamics with an emphasis on reproducible analysis pipelines.

  • Designed Python pipelines to process molecular dynamics trajectories and compute allostery metrics (CARDS) across large ensembles.
  • Validated liposome and micelle clustering workflows with statistical checks and publication-grade visualizations.
  • Automated data ingest, batching, and report generation to ensure reproducible analysis across experiments.
  • Collaborated with lab members to translate biological hypotheses into computational experiments.
PythonNumPySciPypandasMDAnalysisMatplotlibJupyterGitHPC

Design Team Leader

Duke MEDesign

Sep 2023 - Present

Durham, NC

Lead multidisciplinary teams building medical device concepts from requirements through functional prototypes.

  • Led cross-functional teams through requirements, risk analysis, and design reviews for multiple medical device concepts.
  • Directed rapid prototyping and benchtop testing to iterate mechanisms and sensing subsystems.
  • Coordinated documentation, purchasing, and fabrication to keep builds on schedule and within budget.
  • Mentored new members on electronics, embedded integration, and verification planning.
Medical Device DesignRapid PrototypingElectronicsEmbedded SystemsRisk AnalysisTest PlanningCAD