Structural Innovation Engineer

The Owow; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical, dental and vision coverage

Dog-friendly office

Free lunch 4 days a week

Job summary

The Owow in Oakland, CA is seeking an R&D Structural Innovation Engineer to design prefabricated lateral structural systems for mass timber projects. This role aims to optimize construction timelines and reduce costs by developing scalable, code-compliant systems.

The ideal candidate will have a professional background in Structural Engineering and experience with prefabrication. Benefits include paid time off, medical coverage, and a dog-friendly office.

Qualifications

• Professional or academic background in Structural Engineering, Architecture, or related field.
• Experience with prefabrication, hybrid mass timber systems, or structural steel/timber connections.
• Knowledge of structural analysis, lateral systems, and fireproofing applications.
• Strong project management skills with ability to own outcomes and deliver measurable results.
• Effective professional communication skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Design prefabricated lateral systems for mass timber projects.
• Optimize HMT structure for cost reduction and simplicity.
• Engineer gravity system connectors to reduce material costs.
• Deliver final shop drawings and fabrication packages.
• Track installation schedules to meet '1 floor/day' targets.

Skills

Structural Engineering

Project Management

Communication Skills

Structural Analysis

Prefabrication

Education

Professional background in Structural Engineering or Architecture

Job description

Salary

$85,000 - $100,000

About oWOW

At oWOW, we’re on a mission to Accelerate Housing Abundance to Unlock Human Potential.

We design and build housing up to 65% below market cost and deliver it in months instead of years by automating design, industrializing construction, and deploying prefabricated, componentized building systems at unmatched speed.

oWOW is growing quickly to expand project delivery across the state of California and nationwide. Our goal is to start construction on 2,000 affordable housing units by the end of 2026.

The Role

We’re looking for an R&D Structural Innovation Engineer to design and deliver prefabricated lateral structural systems for mass timber projects (Type IV-A, IV-B, IV-C). This role is central to accelerating construction timelines, reducing costs, and optimizing hybrid mass timber (HMT) structural systems. You’ll work closely with engineering teams, fabricators, and installers to deliver scalable, code-compliant prefabricated systems that achieve one-floor-per-day installation targets.

What You’ll Do

• Design Prefabricated Lateral Systems:
  • Develop code-compliant prefabricated lateral systems for Type IV-A, IV-B, and IV-C buildings.
  • Optimize performance for structural (drift, DCR, SDL) and fireproofing application (offsite).
  • Deliver final shop drawings, BOMs, and fabrication packages ready for OEM partners.
  • Secure MSAs with fabricators, installers, and fireproofing subcontractors.
  • Create and track installation schedules on pilot projects to validate “1 floor/day” lateral installation targets.
• Optimize HMT structure:
  • Engineer gravity system connectors and misc metals to reduce material costs and simplify onsite assembly.
  • Achieve targeted cost reductions for HMT system via connector/misc metal optimization.
  • Analyze and reduce SDL for floors and roof level with validation by structural engineer.
  • Build a dead load library for each area type.
  • Secure hard bids from suppliers/installers that meet cost-reduction goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Professional or academic background in Structural Engineering, Architecture, or related field.
• Experience with prefabrication, hybrid mass timber systems, or structural steel/timber connections.
• Knowledge of structural analysis, lateral systems, and fireproofing applications.
• Strong project management skills with ability to own outcomes and deliver measurable results.
• Effective professional communication skills in English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with design-to-fabrication workflows and BOM/shop drawing production.
• Hands‑on experience with structural mockups, testing, and installation tracking.
• Track record of achieving cost savings through structural optimization and supplier negotiations.

Benefits

• Paid time off, sick leave, and holidays
• Medical, dental and vision coverage
• Dog‑friendly office
• Free lunch 4 days a week

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and value a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Visa Sponsorship

Candidates requiring visa sponsorship may be considered only if eligible for non‑lottery visa categories (e.g., TN, E-3, O-1) or for transfer of an existing H‑1B visa. We are unable to sponsor new H‑1B visas for this role at this time.