Team Roles

Senior Leadership (E8)

The role of Team Captain is the most powerful single position on the team. They direct everything from robot construction to outreach, team events and anything else. They are always a student. The team Captain participates in board meetings, and has the near ultimate say with team decisions.

The President presides over the board and is the go-to contact for the robotics team when speaking administratively.

The lead mentor is the most senior technical advisor to the captain and the president. They are also leader of the team mentors, the lead mentor brings expertise and organization ability, while also upholding Tidal Force’s White Gloves policy.

Assistant Senior Leadership (E7)

The Assistant-Captain is the second highest position on the team, it is not necessarily filled every year. The Assistant Captain directly leads the team along with the Captain, and serves in their absence with all the command associated. The Assistant captain is always a student.

The Vice President serves in the Board President’s absence.

Specialist Leadership (E6)

The Safety Captain technically wields exclusive ability to veto any decision even by the captain on argument of Safety. They are always a student, they are expected to ensure safety in all aspects, not just in build season or on the field.

The Quartermaster is responsible for the organization, categorization, and tidiness of the Team’s resources. They are often a student on the team with exceptional organization abilities. This role is not always staffed.

Assistant Specialist Leadership (E5)

The Assistant Safety Captain holds office in the Safety Captain’s absence.

The Assistant Quartermaster holds office in the Quartermaster’s absence.

Leader (E4)

The Lead of Electrical is responsible for all things electrical on the robot, this role is often filled by the Lead of Software but not always, the subteam is also usually small but not always. Like other Leads, their expert opinion is sought in times of discussion with the Captain.

The Lead of Mechanical is a student on the team with exceptional mechanical skills and/or leadership skills. They provide active communication between the Captain about feasibility of team member designs, and direct the construction, logistics and manufacturing of the robot parts. They ensure the function of their own subteam of Mechanical Students. In the offseason they direct mechanical training and pre-season projects

The Lead of CAD is a student on the team with exceptional CAD skills and/or leadership skills. They provide active communication between the Captain and their subteam of CAD students, they help to bring the ideas and designs from the whiteboard to 3d for simulation, fine tuning and finally implementation by handing designs off to the mechanical team.

The Lead of Software is a student on the team with exceptional software skills and/or leadership skills. They provide active communication between the Captain and their own subteam of Software Students. They are responsible for all robot software as well as the infrastructure used by Mechanical, CAD, Media and other teams as “IT Support”.

The Lead of Outreach maintains connections with outreach partners such as local FLL teams, local events (like market days) and other ‘outreach events’. They are the glue that ties the financial, online and resource (Business, Media and Quartermaster) together.

The Lead of Media maintains the media presence of the team, they maintain our active social media services as well as moderate team online spaces such as the website, discord, the email chain, etc. They work heavily with the Lead of outreach. They are also responsible for managing the production and distribution of the Reveal Video and other video media.

Scouting is an activity common in first where team members record and judge the performance of other teams in an effort to find and secure strong teams for possible alliance section, the Lead of Scouting co-ordinates these actions among their ad-hoc team of Scouters.

The Drivecoach is the glue that binds the Driver and Operator together, their patch is a single upwards facing chevron added to their livery. This role is often an Alumni of the team, but not always. They cannot interact with the robot or field, only coach. They keep eyes and ears open for changes in game play, and direct drivers with strategy on the fly, keeping track of time, robot position, advantageous scouring strategy etc.

Assistant Leader (E3)

The Assistant Lead of Mechanical is assistant to the Lead of Mechanical, they serve in their absence and are another bridge between mechanical team members, the other leads, and the captain. This role is always a student, this role is not always filled.

Note

This role is often promoted by the Lead of Mechanical

The Assistant Lead of CAD is assistant to the Lead of CAD, they serve in their absence and are another bridge between CAD team members, the other leads, and the captain. This role is always a student, this role is not always filled.

Note

This role is often promoted by the Lead of CAD

The Assistant Lead of Software is assistant to the Lead of Software, they serve in their absence and are another bridge between Software team members, the other leads, and the captain. This role is always a student, this role is not always filled.

Note

This role is often promoted by the Lead of Software

Specialist (E2)

Pitcrew members are selected by the captain [1], they bear at least this single red bar and during competition are expected to be in the pits carrying out repairs, upgrades and work.

The Driver drives the robot, this role changes year to year based on the game, but in general the driver can expect to handle the locomotion of the specific bot wether through swerve drive, meccannum drive, tank drive, etc. They are chosen by skill, normally with driver tryouts, any student (regardless of seniority) can have this position.

The Operator operates the robot, this role changes year to year based on the game, but in general the operator can expect to handle the operation of the specific bot wether through moving arms, intakes, shooters, climbers etc. They are chosen based on skill, normally with operator tryouts, any student (regardless of seniority) can have this position.

The Human Player is a very volatile position, it changes wildly from year to year, in 2017 the human player was inside the field playing area. This is generally an athletic and/or wildly enthusiastic team member!

The Technician is a student with exceptional ‘all-round skills’, they fill the final role on the drive team and assist with all of the technical aspects of the robot, from mechanical, to software, to electrical, they should have a good knowledge of all the major subsystems and how to service them quickly before and after the match. They should be briefed individually by each of the major technical leads.

The board secretary keeps notes and logs of board meetings and assists with running the board behind the scenes.

The treasurer manages the legal and financial side of the team along with the Outreach Lead.

Mentors (E1)

Each mentor receives one white chevron. The white signifies their hands off, white gloves role in the team.

Apprentice (E1)

Robotics Interns (or apprentices) cannot hold office, cannot earn service bars, and cannot officially become official members, regardless, Tidal Force welcomes those who wish to join early, to participate and learn!

Retired Positions

Warning

These positions are no longer in service, and cannot be awarded or promoted to.

The Pitcrew Chief bears this livery, the Pitcrew Chief is often the Lead of Mechanical but not always, they are responsible for all things in the pitcrew including selecting pitcrew members and maintaining an efficient working environment in the pits.

Note

The Pitcrew Cheif is no longer promoted to, in favor of leaving pit crew direction to the Lead of Mechanical When it was utilized in 2022, it had two chevrons. When it was proposed in 2023 it had two and a half, before it’s retirement. So while the official pit crew chief insignia is 2 1/2, that insignia was never worn. While the 2022 (2 Chevron variant) worn by Micheal is the only physical example.

The Business Lead is responsible for all things financial, especially securing grants and funding, organizing sponsorship packets, maintaining sponsor relationships, and assisting in ordering and spending. They frequently work alongside the Lead of Outreach but wield a similar position. This role is often staffed by the Captain but not always.

Note

The Business subteam is now part of the Outreach subteam as of 2023

[1]

Updated after Pitcrew Chief removed.