Mechanical Engineer - Engineer, Chassis & Vehicle Dynamic

DoorDash, Inc.; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with employer matching

16 weeks paid parental leave

Wellness benefits

Commuter benefits match

Paid time off and sick leave

Medical, dental, vision benefits

11 paid holidays

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Family-forming assistance

Mental health program

Job summary

DoorDash Labs seeks a Mechanical Engineer to advance chassis and vehicle dynamics for DOT, our autonomous delivery robot. You will own concepts through CAD designs, prototype builds, testing, and validation, collaborating with internal teams and suppliers to meet performance, durability, and integration requirements.

You will lead vehicle dynamics testing, define ride quality and stability criteria, and work with controls and autonomy engineers to push hardware improvements and reliability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Experience designing and developing suspension, chassis, or related mechanical systems for vehicles or mobile robots.
• Understand suspension kinematics, load transfer, tire behavior, stiffness and damping, braking, and vehicle stability.
• Proficient in NX, SolidWorks, CATIA or comparable CAD platform; release of detailed mechanical designs.
• Able to apply load cases, structural integrity, fatigue, bearings, bolted joints, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Independent assessment of designs and risks and drive issues to resolution with internal teams and suppliers.
• Hands-on experience with prototype assembly, instrumentation, vehicle testing, and root cause analysis.
• Translate requirements into test methods and acceptance criteria; use Python, MATLAB to evaluate results.

Responsibilities

• Design and improve suspension and chassis systems.
• Own mechanical design execution with concepts, CAD models, drawings, GD&T, and tolerance analyses.
• Sustain and improve existing platforms; perform root-cause analyses and implement changes.
• Define chassis and vehicle dynamics requirements for ride quality, traction, braking, stability, ground clearance.
• Provide technical oversight of supplier hardware designs, analyses and test results.
• Develop and execute verification and validation plans with reliability and integration teams.
• Lead instrumented vehicle dynamics testing and translate results into hardware improvements.
• Partner with controls and autonomy engineers to characterize vehicle capabilities.
• Support prototype builds, manufacturing, and service teams to resolve integration issues.

Skills

Suspension systems

CAD design

GD&T

Python or MATLAB

Vehicle testing

Root cause analysis

Requirements to test methods

Collaboration with controls

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

CATIA

Job description

Mechanical Engineer - Engineer, Chassis & Vehicle Dynamic

Oakland, CA

About the Team

DoorDash Labs, established in 2018, serves as the innovation hub for DoorDash, focusing on developing automation and robotics solutions to enhance last-mile logistics. The team's mission is to create technologies that support and augment human networks, aiming to improve efficiency for Dashers, merchants, and consumers alike. We’re ruthlessly focused on business impact. We are a highly senior team composed of former pioneers from a variety of different robotics industries. As of 2025, DoorDash has completed 10B lifetime deliveries. We’re focused on how to do the next 10B even better

About the Role

We’re looking for a Mechanical Engineer to develop and improve chassis systems and vehicle dynamics performance for DOT, DoorDash’s autonomous delivery robot. You’ll combine hands‑on mechanical design, engineering analysis, and vehicle testing to improve existing platforms and develop suspension and chassis solutions for future projects.

You’ll own engineering work from requirements and concept development through detailed CAD design, prototype evaluation, and validation. Working closely with internal teams and suppliers, you’ll assess designs, resolve technical challenges, and ensure chassis systems meet our performance, durability, and integration requirements.

This role offers the opportunity to influence how DOT rides, handles, brakes, and traverses real‑world terrain while improving the reliability and serviceability of our deployed robots.

You’re excited about this opportunity because you will…

• Design and improve suspension and chassis systems, including suspension geometry, linkages, wheel‑end assemblies, and drivetrain and brake mounting interfaces.
• Own mechanical design execution, developing concepts, detailed CAD models, engineering drawings, GD&T, and tolerance analyses to support prototype builds and production release.
• Sustain and improve existing platforms, investigating field issues, performing root cause analysis, and implementing validated engineering changes.
• Define chassis and vehicle dynamics requirements for ride quality, traction, braking, stability, ground clearance, and obstacle traversal across terrain and payload conditions.
• Provide technical oversight of supplier‑developed hardware, reviewing designs, analyses, and test results to ensure systems meet vehicle requirements and integrate successfully.
• Develop and execute verification and validation plans with reliability, test, and integration teams, establishing measurable acceptance criteria for components and complete vehicles.
• Lead instrumented vehicle dynamics testing, analyze results, and translate findings into hardware improvements and operating limits.
• Partner with controls and autonomy engineers to characterize vehicle capabilities and improve motion performance.
• Support prototype builds, manufacturing, and service teams, resolving integration issues and improving durability, manufacturability, and maintainability.

We’re excited about you because…

• You have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• You have experience designing and developing suspension, chassis, or related mechanical systems for vehicles or mobile robots.
• You understand suspension kinematics, load transfer, tire behavior, stiffness and damping, braking, and vehicle stability—and can apply these fundamentals to hardware design.
• You are proficient in NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or a comparable CAD platform and have experience releasing detailed mechanical designs.
• You apply sound engineering judgment to load cases, structural integrity, fatigue, bearings, bolted joints, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• You can independently assess designs and analyses, identify technical risks, and drive issues to resolution with internal teams and suppliers.
• You have hands‑on experience with prototype assembly, instrumentation, vehicle testing, and root cause analysis.
• You can translate requirements into test methods and acceptance criteria, then use Python, MATLAB, or similar tools to evaluate results.
• You take ownership from initial investigation through implementation and verification

Compensation

The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the pay range listed below and is determined based on job‑related factors including, but not limited to, skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. Base salary is localized according to an employee’s work location. Ranges are market‑dependent and may be modified in the future.

In addition to base salary, the compensation for this role includes opportunities for equity grants. Talk to your recruiter for more information.

DoorDash cares about you and your overall well‑being. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to all regular employees, which includes a 401(k) plan with employer matching, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, wellness benefits, commuter benefits match, paid time off and paid sick leave in compliance with applicable laws (e.g. Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act). DoorDash also offers medical, dental, and vision benefits, 11 paid holidays, disability and basic life insurance, family‑forming assistance, and a mental health program, among others.

To learn more about our benefits, visit our careers page here .

See below for paid time off details:

• For salaried roles: flexible paid time off/vacation, plus 80 hours of paid sick time per year.
• For hourly roles: vacation accrued at about 1 hour for every 25.97 hours worked (e.g. about 6.7 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 3.4 hours/month if working 20 hours/week), and paid sick time accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked (e.g. about 5.8 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 2.9 hours/month if working 20 hours/week).

The national base pay range for this position within the United States, including Illinois and Colorado.

$109,500 - $161,000 USD

About DoorDash

At DoorDash, our mission to empower local economies shapes how our team members move quickly, learn, and reiterate in order to make impactful decisions that display empathy for our range of users—from Dashers to merchant partners to consumers. DoorDash is growing rapidly and changing constantly, which gives our team members the opportunity to share their unique perspectives, solve new challenges, and own their careers. We're committed to supporting employees’ happiness, healthiness, and overall well‑being by providing comprehensive benefits and perks including premium healthcare, wellness expense reimbursement, paid parental leave and more.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We’re committed to growing and empowering a more inclusive community within our company, industry, and cities. That’s why we hire and cultivate diverse teams of people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that true innovation happens when everyone has room at the table and the tools, resources, and opportunity to excel.

Statement of Non-Discrimination: In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination or harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination and harassment based on “protected categories,” we also strive to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at DoorDash. We value a diverse workforce – people who identify as women, non‑binary or gender non‑conforming, LGBTQIA+, American Indian or Native Alaskan, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, differently‑abled, caretakers and parents, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Thank you to the Level Playing Field Institute for this statement of non‑discrimination.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.

If you need any accommodations, please inform your recruiting contact upon initial connection.