Senior Trim & Lighting Engineer

Zoox; Foster City (CA); Hybrid; USD 195,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoox is seeking a Senior Trim & Lighting Engineer within our Vehicle Engineering team in Foster City, CA. You will own the design and release of interior, exterior, seating, and lighting attachment interfaces, coordinating with the body team, suppliers, and internal engineering groups to hit program timelines.

You will lead a small team, manage multiple suppliers in parallel, and ensure carryover while protecting existing tooling. Strong CATIA V6 and DFMEA experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or higher with 8+ years in automotive trim/lighting.
• Experience taking components through full design-to-launch cycles at OEM/Tier 1.
• Proven ability to manage interfaces and changes across cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with DFMEAs, DVP&Rs, and change management in PLM environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as engineering point of contact for interior, exterior, seating, and lighting attachment design.
• Own design and release of attachment interfaces across multiple components.
• Lead multiple suppliers in parallel and drive on-time program commitments.
• Maximize carryover and minimize new part creation where feasible.
• Define and document tooling impact and work with suppliers when changes are needed.
• Coordinate with body/structures teams to translate changes into attachment requirements.
• Partner with Validation to define and execute validation plans (DVP&Rs).
• Release parts in 3DEXPERIENCE with data quality and change control.
• Apply VA/VE and should-cost awareness to protect program cost targets.
• Lead small teams and cross-team projects as needed.
• Translate system requirements into manufacturable CATIA V6 designs.
• Create and maintain DFMEAs and DVPRs to support validation.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Supplier coordination

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Engineering

PhD in Engineering (optional)

Tools

CATIA V6

3DEXPERIENCE / 3DX

Job description

As a Senior Trim & Lighting Engineer on Zoox's Vehicle Engineering team, you will be the engineering point of contact for interior, exterior, seating, and lighting attachment and integration design. Working across the body team, suppliers, and internal engineering groups, you will own the design and release of attachment interfaces that maximize carryover, protect existing tooling, and hit program timelines.

This is a senior, self-directed role for an engineer who can own substantial technical problems end-to-end, drive multiple suppliers in parallel, lead a small team, and bring cross-functional stakeholders to consensus. If you're ready to make a significant impact in the automotive industry, we want to hear from you.

In this role, you will:

• Serve as the Trim & Lighting engineering point of contact for the program, coordinating across the body team, suppliers, and internal engineering groups.
• Own the design and release of attachment and mounting interfaces for interior, exterior, seating, and lighting components.
• Drive multiple suppliers in parallel across trim, lighting, seating, and exterior commodities, holding each to design, cost, and timeline commitments.
• Maximize carryover of components and part numbers, minimizing new part creation and preserving existing designs wherever feasible.
• Drive attachment solutions that require minimal to no change to existing tooling; assess and document tooling impact with suppliers where changes are unavoidable.
• Manage interfaces and changes with the body/structures team, translating structural changes into trim, seating, and lighting attachment requirements.
• Partner with the Validation team to define and execute component and subsystem validation plans (DVP&Rs).
• Work across all engineering teams to release parts and assemblies in 3DEXPERIENCE (3DX), owning data quality and change management through release.
• Apply sound cost judgment in design decisions, including VA/VE, carryover, and should-cost awareness to protect program cost targets.
• Present technical direction, anticipate objections, and bring parties together to build consensus on interface and integration decisions.
• Lead a small team of engineers as needed, defining tasks and providing technical supervision, and lead smaller projects that span multiple teams.
• Own design and release using CATIA V6, translating system and interface requirements into manufacturable designs.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, including DFMEAs and DVP&Rs, to support validation and quality.
• Review and apply CAE simulation results to optimize attachment performance, fit, and durability.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with 8+ years of relevant experience, or a Master's with 7+ years, or a PhD with 3+ years.
• Deep knowledge across multiple relevant areas of automotive interior/exterior trim, seating, or lighting engineering.
• Proven experience taking automotive components and subsystems through at least one full design-to-launch cycle at the OEM or Tier 1 level, from concept through production launch.
• Demonstrated experience with carryover strategy and attachment/interface design across components or subsystems.
• Strong command of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and selection of fastening and joining methods (clips, fasteners, welds, adhesives) for attachment design.
• Proven ability to draft and execute against technical requirements, implementing industry-standard engineering principles and rigorous design methodologies.
• Experience managing interfaces and change with a body/structures team, translating structural changes into trim, seating, and lighting attachment requirements.
• Proficient in 3D modeling with CATIA V6 (or CATIA V5 / equivalent), with a strong understanding of Design for Manufacturing and attachment/fastening design.
• Experience releasing parts and managing change in a PLM environment (3DEXPERIENCE / 3DX preferred).
• Experience managing multiple technical suppliers and project timelines in parallel, delivering under tight constraints.
• Sound cost judgment in design decisions, including VA/VE and should-cost awareness.
• Familiarity with validation processes, including DVP&Rs and DFMEAs, across at least one complete vehicle lifecycle program.
• Comfortable operating in an early-phase, ambiguous, fast-moving program, defining scope and validation plans where none yet exist.
• Able to work independently on substantial problems and to lead a small team (2-3 people) and cross-team projects.

$195,000 - $235,000 a year

Base Salary Range

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.