Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - Vehicle Exteriors, Glazing and Closures

San Francisco, CA
Vehicle Engineering /
Full Time /
On-site
Overview
Lightship is the first American all-electric recreational vehicle manufacturer currently developing an aerodynamic, battery-powered trailer for the electric age. As the macro transition to an all-electric transportation ecosystem accelerates, Lightship is bringing the increased convenience and superior performance that electrification offers to a pastime enjoyed by over 11 million American families.

Honoring Diverse Perspectives
Lightship is committed to hiring and developing top talent from diverse backgrounds. We believe representing and supporting diverse groups is key to the success of our team members, customers, shareholders and the achievement of our mission and vision. We operate in a collaborative environment with a flat organizational structure and expect a high degree of integrity, autonomy and creativity from all members of the team.

About the Role
In this role, you will be a key member of the exteriors team within Vehicle Engineering, with broad responsibility for one or more exteriors subsystems. As the technical expert for your subsystems, you’ll be in charge of full assemblies from clean sheet design to production. A typical week could involve designing detailed 3D in CATIA, making calculations to support design choices, talking with (and selecting) suppliers to manufacture your designs, and prototyping/testing in the workshop. Attaching or linking a short portfolio which highlights specific areas of products you were proud to design is recommended.

Responsibilities

    • Mechanical product design and development for vehicle exterior trim, closures mechanisms, sealing, and glazing
    • Own parts and assemblies through the concept, prototyping, test, and mass production phases
    • Select manufacturing methods appropriate for program volume and cost targets
    • Develop and release the 3D and 2D data, and documentation, for supplier quoting, prototype, and production release phases
    • Act as the primary technical contact for component suppliers through all phases
    • Plan and carry out component, subsystem, and vehicle level testing to validate designs and identify opportunities for design improvement
    • Support the physical build of your parts and assemblies at the Lightship factory in Broomfield, CO (limited travel may be required)

Prior Experience & Professional Qualities

    • Minimum Qualifications
    • B.S. Engineering or similar
    • 5 years of relevant experience designing and engineering similar products, from concept to production manufacturing
    • Highly skilled in 3D CAD, especially CATIA v5, v6, or 3DX
    • This role will involve designing highly cosmetic sculpted parts (A-class)

    • Preferred Experience
    • M.S. Engineering or similar
    • Experience in design and development of vehicle, aerospace, or marine: exterior components, mechanisms, and lightweight materials
    • Experience in designing for modern lightweight structure construction methods, including adhesive bonding, composites, and plastics
    • Kinematics or machine design experience

    • Values
    • You are curious, fundamentals-oriented, and you question assumptions
    • You have a collaborative mindset
    • You have a dedication to excellence and thoroughness
    • You have a clear and effective communication style


    • Lightship compensation consists of the yearly salary above plus equity, which gives you a stake in the company.
$121,000 - $149,000 a year
Lightship compensation consists of the yearly salary above plus equity, which gives you a stake in the company.
Employee Benefits & Philosophy - Applies to Full Time Employees only
- Healthcare, Dental, Vision
- 401k
- Unlimited Paid Time Off that we actually want you to use! 3-4 weeks is common at Lightship.
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
- $2,000 per year towards an RV trip of your own &/or professional development opportunities - we call this a LightTrip

Lightship offers all of its full time employees and their dependents full benefits including health, dental and vision insurance and covers 100% of the insurance premium. We are on a mission to create a more healthful all-electric experience for a pastime that millions of families enjoy and believe strongly that our team should not have to worry about quality healthcare for themselves or their loved ones along the way.

Onsite/Hybrid Work
Most roles at Lightship require onsite work from our offices Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, though some roles may require all days in office. Speak to the hiring manager to learn more.