Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

About the role

You will lead the architecture and execution of closure systems for the next generation of autonomous delivery vehicles. This position requires hands-on involvement in mechanical design and vehicle integration to ensure reliable performance across millions of delivery cycles. The role centers on translating high-level system requirements into robust mechanical architectures that survive the realities of public road deployment. You will be responsible for defining the functional decomposition and determining how each closure component interacts with the vehicle platform and its surroundings. Success in this position demands a balance between creative mechanical engineering and pragmatic manufacturing constraints. You will own the technical trade studies that guide material selection and geometric configurations for these critical systems. This position is integral to the hardware validation process that ensures the vehicle hardware meets operational safety and durability standards. Your work will directly influence the reliability and user experience of autonomous delivery operations at scale.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Design and develop closure systems, including hinges, latches, actuators, and sealing components, translating abstract requirements into concrete mechanical solutions.
• Collaborate with industrial design, systems engineering, and manufacturing teams to ensure the hardware meets both durability targets and cost objectives without compromising functionality.
• Oversee the transition of designs from initial concepts through detailed design, validation testing, and finally to high-volume production support.
• Troubleshoot hardware issues on the prototype floor, performing root cause analysis and iterating on designs in conjunction with manufacturing partners to improve assembly quality.
• Use data-driven analysis to validate engineering decisions, correlating simulation results with physical test data to confirm structural integrity and performance.
• Define and manage the technical stack for closure mechanisms, selecting appropriate linkages, counterbalance systems, and actuators to meet the specific force and motion requirements.
• Establish and maintain rigorous documentation for design specifications, test procedures, and validation results to ensure traceability and repeatability.
• Partner with suppliers to develop tooling and process flows that can reliably produce components to exacting standards for surface finish and dimensional control.
• Lead failure mode analysis efforts, applying principles of structural design, fatigue prediction, and environmental sealing to mitigate risks for outdoor hardware.
• Drive the creation of test protocols that simulate real-world conditions, ensuring mechanisms can endure temperature extremes, moisture ingress, and repeated actuation cycles.
• Apply tolerance analysis and GD&T principles to control variation in assembled parts, ensuring consistent performance across the production lifecycle.
• Support the development of manufacturing work instructions and fixture designs that streamline assembly and reduce defect rates in high-volume environments.
• Utilize advanced analysis tools such as FEA, kinematic analysis, MATLAB, and Python to model system behavior and optimize mechanical designs.
• Serve as the primary mechanical expert for closure systems within the Labs team, communicating complex engineering concepts to cross-functional stakeholders.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor or Master degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, providing a foundational understanding of core engineering principles.
• Possess a minimum of 6 years of professional experience in automotive body or mechanism design, demonstrating a track record of delivering hardware solutions.
• Demonstrate proficiency in CAD software, specifically NX, SolidWorks, or CATIA, to create detailed models and production-ready drawings.
• Show a strong background in tolerance analysis, GD&T, and stack-up management to ensure parts fit together correctly in assembly.
• Have experience with high-volume manufacturing processes such as injection molding, sheet metal stamping, and castings to design for producibility.
• Possess a solid understanding of structural design, fatigue, and environmental sealing for outdoor hardware to protect sensitive components.
• Exhibit the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment where priorities may shift based on project needs.
• Communicate clearly and professionally in written and verbal English to coordinate with global teams and partners.

Nice to have

• Background in commercial vehicles, robotics, or autonomous systems, providing relevant context for the application domain.
• Experience with high-duty-cycle product development, where mechanisms are expected to perform thousands or millions of cycles without failure.

Practical notes

Compensation includes base salary and equity grants. Benefits include a 401(k) with company match, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, medical, dental, and vision insurance, 11 paid holidays, disability insurance, and mental health support. Salaried employees receive flexible paid time off and 80 hours of paid sick time annually.