Mechanical Engineer

Obvio; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Obvio is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to join the hardware team, driving the next generation of AI-assisted, solar-powered cameras for safer streets. You’ll oversee the full mechanical development cycle—from concept and CAD through prototyping, testing, and production, delivering robust hardware for demanding outdoor environments.

The role emphasizes ownership and cross‑functional collaboration with electrical and software engineers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners, with a strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
• 2–5 years of professional mechanical engineering experience.
• Strong 3D CAD skills and experience designing mechanical parts and assemblies.
• Working knowledge of engineering drawings, dimensional tolerancing, tolerance stack-ups, and basic GD&T.
• Understanding of design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA).
• Experience with production processes such as injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, stamping, or CNC machining.
• Strong mechanical intuition and practical problem-solving ability.
• Comfortable building, assembling, modifying, and testing your own designs.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-moving environment with ownership.
• Strong communication skills and willingness to collaborate with engineers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.

Responsibilities

• Mechanical design: create components, enclosures, brackets, mounts for Obvio’s hardware using 3D CAD.
• Design for manufacturing across plastic injection molding, sheet metal forming, stamping, CNC machining.
• Electromechanical integration: align mechanicals with cameras, PCBs, sensors, antennas, wiring, connectors.
• Outdoor product design: ensure durability against sealing, water/dust, UV, temperature, vibration.
• Rapid prototyping: build and test with 3D printing, CNC, off-the-shelf parts.
• Testing & iteration: set up tests, identify failures, iterate designs.

Skills

3D CAD

Mechanical design

GD&T

DFM/DFA

Prototyping

Communication

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

Job description

About Obvio AI

Each year, more than 40,000 people in the U.S. leave home and never make it back due to traffic crashes. At Obvio, we believe these deaths are preventable. We deploy solar-powered, AI-assisted cameras to enforce traffic laws where pedestrians are most vulnerable—automating enforcement in ways that traditional systems cannot. Our approach has already led to a 50% reduction in reckless driving in early partner cities.
Founded by the team behind Motive’s AI dashcam and backed by Bain Capital Ventures and Khosla Ventures, we are building the intelligence layer for safer streets globally.

About the Role

We are looking for a hands‑on Mechanical Engineer to join our hardware team and help design the next generation of Obvio products.

You’ll work across the mechanical product‑development cycle, from early concepts and CAD through prototyping, testing, DFM, and production. You’ll design components and assemblies that integrate cameras, electronics, sensors, and other hardware into products deployed in demanding outdoor environments.

This is an ideal role for an engineer early in their career who has a strong foundation in mechanical design and wants significant ownership of real, shipped hardware. You won’t just design parts in CAD - you’ll build prototypes, assemble and test your designs, work with manufacturing partners, troubleshoot problems, and iterate until products are ready to ship.

What You’ll Do

• Mechanical design: Design components, enclosures, brackets, mounts, and assemblies for Obvio’s hardware products using 3D CAD.

• Design for manufacturing: Develop parts for manufacturing processes including plastic injection molding, sheet metal forming and stamping, CNC machining, and other production methods.

• Electromechanical integration: Design mechanical systems around cameras, PCBs, sensors, antennas, wiring, connectors, and other electronics.

• Outdoor product design: Help develop robust hardware for long‑term outdoor deployment, considering sealing, water and dust ingress, UV exposure, temperature, vibration, serviceability, and other real‑world conditions.

• Rapid prototyping: Build and iterate prototypes using 3D printing, CNC machining, off‑the‑shelf components, and other rapid fabrication methods.

• Testing & iteration: Assemble prototypes, develop practical tests, identify mechanical failures or weaknesses, and rapidly improve designs based on what you learn.

• Production drawings & tolerancing: Create clear engineering drawings, define appropriate tolerances, and ensure components can be manufactured and assembled reliably.

• DFM/DFA: Work with suppliers and manufacturing partners to review designs, incorporate DFM feedback, improve manufacturability, and prepare components for production.

• Material & process selection: Select appropriate materials, finishes, manufacturing processes, fasteners, seals, and other mechanical components based on product requirements.

• Product ownership: Take ownership of components and subassemblies from initial requirements through design, prototype, validation, and production release.

• Cross‑functional development: Work closely with electrical, software, operations, and other engineering team members to turn product requirements into reliable physical products.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering field.

• 2–5 years of professional mechanical engineering experience.

• Strong 3D CAD skills and experience designing mechanical parts and assemblies.

• Working knowledge of engineering drawings, dimensional tolerancing, tolerance stack‑ups, and basic GD&T.

• Understanding of design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA).

• Experience with one or more common production processes such as injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, stamping, or CNC machining.

• Strong mechanical intuition and practical problem‑solving ability.

• Comfortable building, assembling, modifying, and testing your own designs.

• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑moving environment where requirements evolve and engineers are expected to take ownership.

• Strong communication skills and willingness to collaborate directly with engineers, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.

Bonus Points

• Experience designing injection‑molded plastic parts , including practical considerations such as wall thickness, draft, ribs, bosses, inserts, parting lines, and assembly features.

• Experience designing formed or stamped sheet‑metal components.

• Experience with IP‑rated, weather‑resistant, or ruggedized products , including gaskets, seals, vents, cable entries, and enclosure design.

• Experience designing products intended for continuous outdoor deployment.

• Experience mechanically integrating cameras, optics, PCBs, sensors, antennas, connectors, or other electronics.

• Hands‑on experience with 3D printing, CNC machining, laser cutting, or other rapid‑prototyping tools.

• Experience working directly with machine shops, injection molders, sheet‑metal vendors, contract manufacturers, or tooling suppliers.

• Experience developing products in a hardware startup, robotics, automotive, IoT, industrial equipment, security/camera systems, or another electromechanical product environment.

• Experience with SolidWorks, Fusion 360 or another professional 3D CAD platform, with proficiency in parametric part and assembly design.

Why This Role

• Build products that matter. Your work will directly contribute to technology designed to reduce dangerous driving and improve road safety.

• Ship real hardware.

• Own meaningful engineering work.

• Work across the entire development cycle.

• Learn quickly.

• Move fast.

• Competitive compensation and early‑stage equity.

WhyObvio

• Your work will help save lives and improve road safety

• Series A of $22M led by Bain Capital

• Fast‑moving startup environment with meaningful ownership

• Competitive compensation and early-stage equity

Obvio is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Obvio considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. Obvio is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please let your recruiter know.