Wheel Design Engineer II

Trek Bikes; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and fun company culture

Competitive health care options

401(k) with match and ESOP

Maternity leave with pay (12 weeks)

Employee discounts on products

Job summary

Trek Bikes in Waterloo, Wisconsin, seeks a Wheel Design Engineer II to lead road wheel system design—from concept through production. You will develop carbon rims, hubs, and spoke configurations, communicating specs with partners and translating rider feedback into engineering requirements.

Join a fast-paced team that values hands-on prototyping, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning to deliver high-performance wheels for competitive cycling.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent plus 5+ years in product development.
• Experience in bicycle wheel design, build, and manufacturing.
• Experience designing composite structures and laminate/layup work.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of road wheel systems (carbon rims, hubs, spokes).
• Create engineering specification packages for internal/external partners.
• Translate rider feedback into engineering specs for wheels.
• Collaborate with Trek racing teams and internal stakeholders.
• Mentor engineers and guide technical decisions across wheel programs.

Skills

Bicycle wheel design

CAD (Onshape)

GD&T

Wind/wheel testing

FEM/CFD (optional)

Prototype and rapid prototyping

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

Onshape

Job description

## Wheel Design Engineer IIApply: Waterloo, Wisconsin: Full time: Posted Today: Trek115721## A bit about usTrek is an awesome place to work, with amazing benefits for all employees. We build only products we love, provide incredible hospitality to our customers, and change the world by getting more people on bikes. When you’re on our team, you’re taken care of, encouraged to learn and grow, and given lots of opportunities to do so. Give us your best, and we’ll give it right back. Sound pretty sweet? Then come join us!**Job Description***Are you looking to be part of a motivated team that is pushing the limits of product performance, bringing new and innovative wheels to riders everywhere? Do you love solving problems, iterating quickly, and delivering creative solutions? Do you want to work within a culture that embraces continuous learning and development of new skills through exposure to evolving opportunities? Trek’s engineering team is looking for a highly motivated and experienced engineer to come work in our inspiring work hard / play hard environment, take the lead on wheel design and development, and help create the next generation of road wheel products that will have a big impact on the cycling industry.* YOU WILL* Lead the technical design and development of road wheel systems, including carbon rims, hubs, and spoke/lacing configurations, focusing on aerodynamics, weight, stiffness, and durability from the concept phase through to production.* Create and deliver engineering specification packages that communicate effectively with internal and external partners to ensure products meet project requirements.* Translate customer and rider feedback into engineering specifications for wheel products.* Work with Trek racing teams to develop products that perform at the highest level, and provide expertise to bike groups, athletes, marketing, and other internal customers.* Develop collaborative relationships with vendors and coordinate engineering activities with domestic and international teammates, traveling as necessary.* Learn, create, and implement new engineering tools that will enable you and your teammates to create best-in-class products.* Mentor and provide technical guidance to other engineers, and own technical decisions across wheel programs.* Conduct patent searches, generate ideas, and stay informed of new technology through technical publications and seminars. WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED* Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent, with 5+ years of experience in product development.* Experience with bicycle wheel design, build, and manufacturing.* Experience designing composite structures, including laminate/layup design, with an understanding of how material and process choices affect performance.* Execution experience of multiple project cycles from concept through to production.* Ability to iterate quickly on designs, with an eagerness to take a hands-on approach to rapid prototyping and identifying problems.* Experience using CAD modeling software (preferably Onshape) to create 3D models and 2D engineering drawings.* Ability to understand and apply GD&T methodology.* Skills in structural analysis, design failure risk analysis, design for manufacturing and assembly, test plan creation, troubleshooting test results, and creating technical documentation and reports.* Experience with wheel test development and validation, such as impact, fatigue, stiffness, and aerodynamic testing, and knowledge of relevant standards.* Ability to interpret data and solve complex problems, bringing a creative approach to open-ended technical problems with a drive to innovate!* Self-motivated and detail oriented, with strong planning, communication, and accountability skills in a fast-paced team environment working with domestic and international teammates. ALSO, OF INTEREST!* Experience with design analysis using FEA and CFD, and with wind tunnel testing.* Proficient in bike assembly and wheel building.* Experience researching and developing new testing methods and standards to improve performance and quality.* Knowledge of tire and rim interface standards (ETRTO / ISO) and tubeless system design.* Experience designing for manufacturing with composite materials, plastics, and metals, using processes such as bladder molding, compression molding, forging, CNC machining, and injection molding.* Positive attitude that fosters continuous improvement and flexibility.**Trek Benefits:**• Flexible and fun company culture • Competitive health care • PPO & HDHP medical plan options, Dental insurance, Vision insurance • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) • Free life insurance & optional term life insurance • Competitive vacation package • 401(k) with match and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) • 12 weeks of maternity leave with 100% pay • Flexible holiday schedule – 10 company holidays • Tuition Reimbursement up to $15,000! (Undergraduate & Masters programs) • Employee discounts on all product • Deep partner retail discounts We are an Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) Employer. Trek strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran or military status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state and/or local laws. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination.