Lead Mechanical Design Engineer: Vehicle Frame & Body

Hardware FYI; San Francisco, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market standard benefits

Equity

Job summary

Foundation is seeking a senior structural mechanical engineer to design the vehicle body and architecture for extreme multi-environment conditions. You will drive prototyping and ensure integration with robotics and systems engineering for a cohesive vehicle platform.

We value 5+ years of hands-on experience, proficiency in 3D CAD and FEA, and practical fabrication knowledge. The role emphasizes rugged design, material trade-offs, and durable interfaces for demanding environments.

Qualifications

• 5+ years designing and building structural mechanical systems.
• Proficient in 3D CAD with disciplined assemblies and tolerancing.
• Experience with FEA and simulation for structural analyses.
• Fabrication experience including welding and machining.
• Strong materials knowledge for structural applications.
• Ability to design for harsh environments and corrosion resistance.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop the vehicle body and structural architecture for multi-environment use.
• Own structural performance from concept through prototype with iterative design.
• Engineer frame systems with optimized stiffness-to-weight ratio.
• Drive rapid prototyping via CAD-to-build workflows (CNC, welding, sheet metal, additive).
• Design robust joints accounting for thermal expansion, corrosion, and serviceability.
• Collaborate with robotics, suspension, and systems engineering on integration.

Skills

Structural mechanical design

3D CAD

FEA & simulation

Fabrication knowledge

Materials science

Rugged environment design

Systems thinking

Tools

SolidWorks

CATIA

NX

ANSYS

Job description

Foundation is seeking a senior structural mechanical engineer to design the vehicle body and architecture for extreme multi-environment conditions. You will drive prototyping and ensure integration with robotics and systems engineering for a cohesive vehicle platform.

We value 5+ years of hands-on experience, proficiency in 3D CAD and FEA, and practical fabrication knowledge. The role emphasizes rugged design, material trade-offs, and durable interfaces for demanding environments.