Manufacturing Systems Engineer: From CAD to RFQ Automation

Vendra (YC S24); San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Vendra is a fast-growing manufacturing startup in San Francisco seeking a hands-on mechanical engineer to scale how complex parts move from CAD to reality. You will read 2D drawings, assess manufacturability, and work with suppliers to turn designs into production while building automated tools.

You’ll collaborate across engineering, operations, and product, wearing hardware, software and supply chain hats.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience with CNC machining and additive manufacturing.
• Ability to read GD&T and 3D/2D CAD drawings.
• Experience taking parts from design to production.
• Proficiency with Python for data analysis and automation; AI experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Read and interpret 2D drawings and CAD to understand requirements.
• Identify manufacturing risks early and flag DFM issues.
• Match customer requirements to suppliers in the network and qualify suppliers.
• Develop internal tools for supplier matching and RFQ workflows.
• Collaborate with customers and manufacturers to resolve issues and drive production.

Skills

CNC machining

Additive manufacturing

GD&T

2D drawings

CAD interpretation

Data analysis

Python scripting

AI for research

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

Python

Cursor

Claude Code

Job description

Vendra is a fast-growing manufacturing startup in San Francisco seeking a hands-on mechanical engineer to scale how complex parts move from CAD to reality. You will read 2D drawings, assess manufacturability, and work with suppliers to turn designs into production while building automated tools.

You’ll collaborate across engineering, operations, and product, wearing hardware, software and supply chain hats.