Structural Systems Engineer

Samara Living Inc.; Redwood City (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonuses

Hybrid work schedule

Exceptional health, dental, and vision insurance

401k eligibility after 6 months

Early stage employee equity

Job summary

A leading housing innovation firm is seeking a Structural Systems Engineer to support the mission of creating sustainable housing solutions. This role requires over 7 years of experience in structural engineering, particularly in modular construction, and a deep understanding of cold-formed steel design. The Structural Systems Engineer will be pivotal in standardizing and optimizing structural systems while collaborating across teams to ensure quality and compliance. The position offers a hybrid work schedule, competitive salary, and significant growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in structural engineering, ideally with a California focus.
• Hands-on mindset with willingness to travel and engage with the factory floor.
• Proven expertise in cold-formed steel framing, connection detailing, and structural code compliance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the in-house structural authority for all volumetric modular designs.
• Perform and review calculations to ensure compliance with building code requirements.
• Develop and maintain standard structural details optimized for factory-built construction.

Skills

Cold-formed steel design

Modular construction experience

Structural analysis tools

3D modeling tools

Design for Assembly (DFA)

Strong communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Structural Engineering

Tools

RISA

SAP2000

ETABS

Onshape

SolidWorks

Inventor

Revit

Job description

Join Samara to help create new ways of living that help people dream bigger. Our flagship product, Backyard, is a fully turnkey, premium accessory dwelling unit (ADU) designed for California property owners and real estate developers.

Job Title: Structural Systems Engineer

Location: Redwood City, CA, Los Angeles, CA and/or Mexicali, MEX

Job Type: Full-Time, Hybrid

Overview

Ready to play a key role in building the future of living? Join Samara in tackling California’s

housing shortage and enabling people to attain sustainable housing without compromising

design or quality. Our flagship product, Backyard, is a fully turnkey, premium accessory dwelling

unit (ADU) designed for homeowners and real estate developers. As we expand our offerings

and scale our in-house development initiatives, we’re at a pivotal moment, redefining

homeownership through high-quality, attainable infill housing. Backed by top-tier investors,

including Airbnb, Thrive Capital, and 8VC, Samara is positioned for significant growth and

To support our next phase of growth, we’re hiring product-focused engineers to advance and

scale the technical foundation of our modular system. These roles go beyond traditional design

work - they refine system standards, improve factory repeatability, and ensure our units are

code-compliant, manufacturable, and built to the highest standards of quality and performance.

The Structural Systems Engineer will serve as Samara’s in-house structural engineering expert.

This role requires deep knowledge of cold-formed steel design, code compliance, and hands-on

experience in modular construction and offsite manufacturing.

In addition to core structural responsibilities, the role demands a strong focus on designing for

lifting, transportation, site installation, and factory workflows. Success requires fluency in Design

for Assembly (DFA), tolerance management, and the creation of production-ready, repeatable

detailing.

You’ll lead the development of scalable and efficient structural systems across Samara’s full

product line—driving standardization of framing design and working closely with architectural,

MEP, and factory teams to ensure Samara’s structural solutions balance performance with

real-world constraints—from shipping logistics to in-factory build sequencing.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the in-house structural authority for all volumetric modular designs, primarily
• Perform and review calculations to ensure compliance with state and local building code requirements.
• Develop and maintain standard structural details and repeatable assemblies optimized for factory-built construction.
• Design structural systems that account for lifting, rigging, and transportation loads, including craning and over-the-road transit.
• Develop repeatable shipping and handling strategies that reduce cost and simplify logistics while preserving structural performance.
• Support integration of structural systems with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and architectural layouts.
• Contribute to 3D modeling workflows and the development of reusable structural libraries in collaboration with the broader engineering team.
• Work crossfunctionally to enable Design for Assembly (DFA) by supporting fixture/jig design and sequencing in collaboration with factory teams.
• Provide cross-functional technical leadership during design reviews, prototyping, and early product trials.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in structural engineering, ideally with a California
• Modular construction experience in factory builds, multi-mod, stackable and/or other hands on related experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Structural Engineering, or a related field.
• Proven expertise in cold-formed steel framing, connection detailing, and structural code compliance (IBC, ASCE 7, AISI, AISC).
• Experience applying Design for Assembly (DFA) and Design for Manufacturing (DfM) principles in real-world production environments.
• Proficiency in structural analysis tools such as RISA, SAP2000, ETABS, or similar.
• Familiarity with 3D modeling tools such as Onshape, SolidWorks, Inventor, or Revit; must be comfortable reviewing models and contributing to digital design workflows.
• Demonstrated understanding of modular transportation loads, craning/lifting requirements, and regulatory constraints for road transport in California.
• Hands-on mindset with willingness to travel to and engage with the factory floor to
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills, especially with architecture, permitting, and factory teams.

What We Offer

• Salary range of $150-170K and performance-based bonuses.
• Hybrid work schedule with 3 days each week in our Redwood City office.
• Snacks and Lunch on in-office days
• Early stage employee equity.
• Exceptional health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401k eligibility after 6 months.

How to Apply

If you're excited to support Samara’s mission and have the skills to match, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your resume and a brief letter of introduction to our team.

Let’s build something extraordinary—together.