SMTS, Mechanical Design Engineer

QuantumScape; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 113,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

RSU/Equity package

Employee health care

ESPP

Job summary

QuantumScape is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to own the mechanical design of first-of-a-kind automation equipment from concept through production. You will work with cross-functional teams to define architecture, manage design risk, and ensure robust, manufacturable, and safe solutions.

This hands-on role offers significant technical ownership and opportunities to shape standards within HAM. Ideal candidates have advanced degrees in mechanical engineering and strong CAD/ GD&T

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in mechanism, hardware, and automation equipment design.
• Proficiency with machining, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and sheet metal fabrication.
• Proficiency in ASME Y14.5 GD&T and detailed mechanical drawings.
• Ability to size components for reliability and scalability using material and physics-based reasoning.
• Strong collaboration across mechanical, controls, electrical, process, manufacturing, and EHS teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design of first-of-a-kind automation equipment.
• Own end-to-end mechanical design scope from concept to manufacturing.
• Prototype, validate, and drive scalable solutions for volume production.
• Define mechanical architecture, interfaces, and design approaches with DFM/DFA and safety considerations.
• Mentor engineers and help shape mechanical design standards across HAM.

Skills

Mechanism design

Automation equipment

3D CAD

GD&T

Materials selection

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Inventor

CATIA

Job description

Description:

QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future.

About the team

The Hardware and Automation team at QuantumScape is a multidisciplinary group of systems, hardware, controls, and automation engineers responsible for designing, developing, and deploying first‑of‑kind manufacturing equipment that enables the scale‑up of solid‑state battery technology. The team owns equipment solutions from early concept and specification through build, validation, and production readiness, working in close partnership with cell design, process engineering, metrology, data automation, and operations. The team prides itself on hands‑on engineering, rigorous problem solving, and delivering scalable, reliable automation in highly constrained and high‑ambiguity manufacturing environments.

What we need: The Hardware, Automation, and Metrology team is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Senior Member of Technical Staff (SMTS), who is deeply experienced in automation equipment design and motivated by building first‑of‑kind manufacturing tools from concept to production. In this role, you will own the mechanical design of custom automation equipment across the full lifecycle—from early concept and prototyping through detailed design, build, FAT/SAT, and handoff to manufacturing—while working closely with systems, controls, electrical, process, and EHS partners. You will play a critical role in defining mechanical architecture, managing design risk, and ensuring designs are robust, manufacturable, serviceable, and safe. Given the complexity and novelty of our equipment, we are looking for someone who is hands‑on, comfortable operating in ambiguity, and excited to help define best practices and standards for mechanical design within HAM. This opportunity offers significant technical ownership, cross-functional influence, and the ability to shape how advanced automation equipment is designed and scaled at QuantumScape. If you enjoy solving hard mechanical problems, mentoring others, and delivering real hardware that matters, we’d like to hear from you.

What You’ll do:

• Lead the mechanical design and development of critical, first of a kind automation and process equipment supporting QuantumScape’s next generation energy storage technology.
• Own mechanical design scope end to end, from early concept definition through detailed design, build, qualification, and handoff to manufacturing, with accountability for technical decisions, risk mitigation, and design readiness.
• Drive hands on mechanical design, prototyping, and validation to identify scalable, robust solutions suitable for volume production.
• Define mechanical architecture, subsystem interfaces, and design approaches while incorporating DFM/DFA, reliability, maintainability, and safety considerations.
• Partner closely with systems, controls, electrical, process, manufacturing, and EHS teams to deliver integrated equipment solutions across all phases of the design lifecycle, including specifications, design reviews, prototyping, assembly, testing, FAT/SAT, and continuous improvement.
• Provide technical leadership within the mechanical design function by mentoring engineers, influencing best practices, and helping shape mechanical design standards across HAM.

Skills You’ll Need:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field with typically 3+ years of relevant industry or applied engineering experience, or a Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of progressively responsible mechanical engineering experience; Ph.D. with no experience.
• Deep, hands‑on expertise in mechanism, hardware, and automation equipment design, including ownership of complex mechanical systems.
• Practical experience with component manufacturing methods, including machining, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and sheet metal fabrication.
• Advanced proficiency in 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Inventor, and CATIA, with the ability to produce production ready models and assemblies.
• Strong working knowledge of ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards and their application to detailed mechanical drawings.
• Demonstrated ability to apply strength of materials, machine design theory, and physics based reasoning to estimate loads, assess factors of safety, select materials, and size mechanical components for reliability and scalability.
• Proven capability to exercise independent technical judgment, solve complex and ambiguous mechanical problems, and influence design best practices across teams.
• Effective collaborator across mechanical systems, controls, electrical, process, manufacturing, and EHS disciplines, with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to support limited travel requirements (approximately 5% domestic and 5% international) for supplier engagement, build reviews, and equipment qualification.

Nice to have:

• 1-2 years’ experience with designing Solid state, li-Ion or Fuel cell battery cell manufacturing systems.
• Certified in GD&T standards
• Certified in 3D CAD tools

Physical requirements:

• Work is performed in a dry room, fume hood, lab area, or glovebox requiring the use of fine motor skills
• Sitting or standing for extended periods of time
• Reaching and twisting motions with hands
• Lifting up to 25 lbs.

ONSITE:

This position is required to work onsite 5 days per week to meet the minimum essential duties and requirements of this position. As an on‑site R&D and manufacturing operations organization, in‑person face to face interaction is essential to building authentic relationships, trust, teamwork, and collaboration.

Compensation & Benefits:

Expected salary range for this role is from $112,500 to $163,200 and a final salary will be determined by the candidate's experience, educational background and internal equity. QuantumScape also offers an annual bonus and a generous RSU/Equity package as part of its compensation plan. In addition, we do offer a tremendous benefits plan including employee paid health care, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and other benefits.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.