Lead Mechanical Engineer - Prototyping & Product Systems

IDEO; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Benefits

401K matching

Parental Leave

Flexible Work

Paid Holidays

Annual Education Stipend

Home Office Stipend

Job summary

IDEO is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer in San Francisco to guide physical product development across industries. You will lead design efforts, mentor teams, and collaborate with research, design, and business stakeholders to shape project direction.

The role emphasizes rapid prototyping, DFM/DFMA, and translating form to function while advancing sustainability and lifecycle analyses. Flexible work arrangements are available in a commute-friendly setting.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of experience in mechanical engineering or product design.
• Proven ability to guide product development through ambiguous problem spaces.
• Deep proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred) and rapid prototyping.
• Experience launching products and sourcing key manufacturing partners.
• Leadership and production experience with complex mechanism design.
• Packaging understanding and sustainability considerations.
• Knowledge of injection molded plastic parts and DFM/DFMA.
• Proof of concept and research prototyping experience.
• Mentoring junior designers and leading small teams.
• Experience in startups or client-service studios with systems thinking.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design efforts from concept to implementation.
• Be the technical voice translating form to function on teams.
• Elevate climate goals and sustainability through 0–1 development and LCA.
• Mentor junior engineers and guide manufacturers and tooling.
• Present design direction via CAD, prototypes, and visuals.
• Collaborate with research, design, and business stakeholders on strategy.
• Build, test, and iterate high-fidelity prototypes using printers and tools.
• Contribute to user research during concepting and pilot phases.
• Represent IDEO in client communications, workshops, and presentations.

Skills

3D CAD

Rapid prototyping

Leadership

Sourcing manufacturing

Design for manufacturing

Medical devices knowledge

Startup experience

Visual storytelling

Tools

SolidWorks

Adobe Creative Suite

CNC machining

Laser cutting

Job description

IDEO is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer in San Francisco to guide physical product development across industries. You will lead design efforts, mentor teams, and collaborate with research, design, and business stakeholders to shape project direction.

The role emphasizes rapid prototyping, DFM/DFMA, and translating form to function while advancing sustainability and lifecycle analyses. Flexible work arrangements are available in a commute-friendly setting.