About us
We're Monash Automation, a student-run engineering team in the Monash Smart Manufacturing Lab. We build robots, manufacturing systems, agricultural and medical technology, and the software that runs them.
01 Who we are
We're students who want to learn by building. Projects start inside the team or come from industry partners, researchers, the Faculty of Engineering and the lab.
Some projects run for a semester. Others run for years, with new members taking over from the people before them. The team started in 2023 and now has 112 students from many different degrees.
New members get guidance from senior members, industry mentors, researchers and our academic advisors, Dr Keenan Granland and Dr Charles Troeung.
02 Our programs
SSRRobots and automated systems, from permanent lab equipment to open-ended engineering challenges.
Explore →
MFGTurning ideas into systems and products that can be made at scale.
Explore →
MEDEngineering, science and healthcare students working on medical problems.
Explore →
SUSSustainable engineering and agricultural technology.
Explore →Other initiatives
03 Featured projects
An end-to-end autonomous bartender that freshly prepares cocktails, mocktails and beer using a KUKA robot arm.
Our bipedal robotic penguin, built for robotics research.
An agricultural robot that autonomously delivers supplement between rotational grazing paddocks.
Educational models for podiatry and paramedic students. A 2025 Victorian Premier's Design Award finalist.
A 6-axis robot arm that prints complex parts in multiple planes, up to 30 degrees off the bed.
Production line automation and a new conveyor system for their plant in Bendigo.
04 Work with us
Partners get access to student ideas and technical skills. Members get experience that is hard to find in a classroom. After one industry project, two of our members were hired by MKA to take it further.
Our partners & supporters
Media & resources
Watch our team trailer, read our profile and flick through our annual magazines.
A look inside the lab and the people who work in it.
Watch →For industryTeam profileWho we are, what we build and how partners can work with us.
View profile →Magazine2026 magazineThis year's projects, people and partners in one place.
Read →Magazine2025 magazineLast year's edition: the projects and team behind them.
Read →
Annual intake begins O-Week 2027
Multiple Positions Available
Systems and Infrastructure members keep the team running by looking after IT systems, lab resources and internal processes.
Ideal For:
Students interested in IT systems, operations or technical infrastructure.
Multiple Positions Available
Sustainability Specialists make sure our projects meet environmental goals while still being practical to build.
Ideal For:
Students interested in lifecycle thinking, sustainable design and putting green solutions into practice.
Multiple Positions Available
LCA Specialists assess the environmental impact of our products and lab processes, so the team can make better decisions.
Ideal For:
Students interested in environmental impact analysis, data modelling and lifecycle thinking.
Multiple Positions Available
Our Creative Director leads visual branding and makes our social media and promotional material.
Ideal For:
Students interested in graphic design, branding and visual storytelling.
Multiple Positions Available
Outreach Team Members run hands-on workshops and public demos that get young people interested in engineering.
Ideal For:
Students interested in community engagement, event coordination and public speaking.
Multiple Positions Available
Partnerships Team Members work with sponsors and represent the team at industry events.
Ideal For:
Students interested in business development, sponsorship and industry relations.