Senior Mechanical Engineer (Startup Swiss Army Knife)

evve; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Direct exposure to hardware startup

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Evve is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join its Grand Rapids team. The role spans CAD design, prototyping, and manufacturing readiness, with a startup-generalist mandate to tackle diverse technical challenges on a tight timeline.

The position requires deep mechanical engineering expertise, hands-on fabrication ability, and the flexibility to work across hardware and light electrical/embedded tasks in a fast-paced startup environment.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of professional mechanical engineering experience.
• Strong command of CAD, tolerances, materials, and fabrication methods.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design, optimization, and testing of coffee brewing technology.
• Design, build, integrate, and maintain specialized manufacturing and packaging equipment for coffee pods.
• Prototype, test, and assemble production line equipment using fabrication tools.
• Design experiments, analyze data, and iterate quickly on prototypes.
• Assist with troubleshooting automation and setting up manufacturing cell infrastructure.
• Transition designs from prototype to scaled production and write assembly procedures.
• Install equipment and ensure safe, efficient production.
• Take full ownership of projects from concept to deployment.

Skills

10+ years exp

CAD tools

Mechanical design

DFM

Prototyping & testing

Startup DNA

Hands-on shop floor

Job description

Job Title: Senior Mechanical Engineer (Startup Generalist)

Location:Grand Rapids, Michigan

Reports To:CEO

Job Type:Full-time

Wage:$100,000/year

About Evve

Evve is a tech startup in the coffee space back by venture capital. We’re disruptors at the intersection of coffee/technology/sustainability. We’re getting ready to launch our flagship product that will revolutionize the coffee experience and transform the way people brew coffee at home and in the office.

We’re assembling a team of disruptors and innovators. If you thrive in ambiguity, love solving hard physical problems, and want the excitement and ownership of building a company from the ground up, this is the place for you.

Job Summary

We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer who genuinely wants to be part of a startup journey. This is not a siloed desk job. While your core expertise must be deeply rooted in world-class mechanical engineering—spanning CAD design, mechanism design, prototyping, and manufacturing readiness - you will also be a utility player. You must be exceptionally flexible, willing and eager to dive into diverse technical challenges that may fall outside traditional mechanical engineering (such as light electrical/embedded troubleshooting, automation setup, documentation, or facility and equipment installation).

Key Responsibilities

• Coffee Brewer R&D & Engineering: Lead the mechanical design, optimization, and testing of coffee brewing technology. Engineer injection molded plastic parts for mass production. Evaluate pre-production samples and determine modifications. Work directly with manufacturers.
• Pod Production Equipment & Automation: Design, build, integrate, and maintain specialized manufacturing and packaging equipment for coffee pods. Own the mechanical reliability of custom equipment on our production lines.
• Prototyping & Iteration: Rapidly prototype, test, and assemble production line equipment using fabrication tools (3D printing, CNC machining, laser cutting). Conduct rigorous benchtop testing, thermal profiling, and endurance testing to validate designs. Work with production workers to determine SOPs and best practices for optimal throughput.
• Strong Research and Development (R&D) Skills: Ability to design experiments, analyze data, and iterate quickly on prototypes.
• Cross-Functional Problem Solving: Step outside traditional boundaries to assist with various technical needs across the company—whether that involves troubleshooting automation hardware, setting up manufacturing cell infrastructure, integrating sensors, or supporting electrical/embedded controls.
• Manufacturing Readiness & Scaling: Transition designs from prototype to scaled production. Design components for manufacturability (DFM), source mechanical parts, collaborate with local and international machine shops/suppliers, and write assembly procedures.
• Hands-On Facility Execution: Roll up your sleeves in our workshop and production area to install equipment, troubleshoot mechanical breakdowns, adjust equipment, and ensure safe, efficient production.
• Startup Agility: Adapt rapidly to shifting priorities, ambiguous requirements, and tight timelines. Take full ownership of projects from concept to commercial deployment with minimal oversight.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience: At least 10 years of professional mechanical engineering experience, ideally with exposure to consumer products, appliances or consumer electronics.
• Technical Mastery: Strong command of modern CAD tools, mechanical design principles, tolerance analysis, material selection, and fabrication methods (machining, 3D printing, sheet metal, injection molding, etc.).
• The "Startup DNA" & Flexibility: A proven desire to work in a startup environment. You are comfortable wearing multiple hats, enjoy learning new technical skills on the fly, and view cross-functional tasks not as a distraction, but as an exciting part of building a business.
• Hands-On Mindset: Equal parts strategic thinker and builder. You aren't afraid to get your hands dirty on the shop floor.
• Location Requirement: Must be strictly onsite in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. (Remote or hybrid arrangements are not available for this role).

What We Offer

• A foundational role where your contributions directly dictate the success and growth of the company.
• Direct exposure to all facets of building a hardware startup, from R&D to commercialization.
• Competitive compensation and meaningful equity ownership.

If you are an experienced mechanical engineer who is energized by the chaos, speed, and ownership of an early-stage startup—and you are based right here in Grand Rapids,we want to hear from you.