Mechanical Engineering Design Lead

About this role

<p><strong>Lead Mechanical Engineer</strong><strong><br></strong><strong>San Francisco, CA</strong></p> <p>At IDEO, we use design to create new products, services, experiences, tangible strategies, and creative capabilities.</p> <p>IDEO is in search of a <strong>Lead Mechanical Engineer</strong> to guide and shape the work of our world-class interdisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate will bring deep industry knowledge of product development lifecycles & maintenance; a drive to iterate quickly through prototyping; and an inclusive collaboration style. This hire will have the unique opportunity to help evolve IDEO’s practice of engineering high-impact physical products, building on our diverse network of Design Directors, Partners, and Business Leaders.</p> <p><strong>In a Nutshell:</strong></p> <p>The <strong>Lead Mechanical Engineer</strong> is directly responsible for <strong>leading physical product development efforts for our exceptionally creative clients across industries.</strong></p> <p>We are especially excited to meet candidates with exceptional project management skills; visual storytelling abilities; a drive to get tangible by prototyping in both digital and physical realms; and a grounding in core design for manufacturing (DFM) principles and practices. </p> <p>This hire must be within a commutable distance of IDEO’s San Francisco studio. IDEO proudly supports flexible work.</p> <p><strong>Once here you will:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Lead and manage mechanical design efforts on complex projects from concept to implementation.</li> <li>Be the key technical voice on multi-disciplinary teams, translating between form and function.</li> <li>Elevate clients’ climate goals and sustainability best practices through 0-1 physical product development, materials science research, and life cycle analysis (LCA).</li> <li>Mentor and guide junior engineers and designers in the craft of physical product realization, sourcing partner manufacturers, and design for manufacturing principles.</li> <li>Present design direction through CAD, physical prototypes, and visual storytelling.</li> <li>Partner with research, design, and business stakeholders to define project strategies and product direction.</li> <li>Build, test, and iterate high-fidelity functional prototypes using 3D printers and machine tools.</li> <li>Contribute to and occasionally lead user research throughout concepting and pilot production phases.</li> <ul> <li>These may include in-home visits, ethnographic diary studies, qualitative / quantitative survey analysis, or other participatory workshop activities.</li> </ul> <li>Represent IDEO in client communications, workshops, and presentations.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Qualifications / Experience:</strong></p> <ul> <li>5-7+ years of experience in mechanical engineering or product design</li> <li>Proven ability to guide product development through ambiguous problem spaces</li> <li>Deep proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred), Adobe Creative Suite, and rapid physical prototyping tools beyond 3D printing (machining, CNC lasercutting, foamcore, paper prototyping, etc)</li> <li>Experience launching products and sourcing key manufacturing partners</li> <li>Professional leadership & production experience with one or more of the following:</li> <ul> <li><strong>Complex Mechanism Design: </strong>proven ability to design, test, and develop robust mechanisms for products like medical devices or consumer electronics.</li> <li><strong>Packaging</strong>: Understand basic structural packaging design and sustainability considerations.</li> <li><strong>Health and Life Sciences Products</strong>: Usability and functionality with a focus on ergonomics and medical-specific requirements.</li> <li><strong>Injection Molded Plastic Part Design:</strong> Having a general knowledge of tooling approaches to aid in part design, including awareness of techniques like overmolding.</li> <li><strong>Design for Manufacturing and Assembly: </strong>Having a general understanding of the types of trade-offs and decisions that need to be made when designing a product for mass production.</li> <li><strong>Proof of Concept Prototyping:</strong> Functional prototypes to explore a key design challenge and prove something is technically feasible.</li> <li><strong>Research Model Prototyping:</strong> Prototyping to create different models to elicit user feedback during research sessions.</li> </ul> <li>Experience mentoring junior designers and leading small teams</li> <li>Experience working in startups or client-service studios, and a systems-thinking mindset</li> </ul> <p><strong>Nice-to-have Skills: </strong></p> <ul> <li>A leading craft edge in one or more of the following skills…</li> <ul> <li>UI/UX design (figma, framer, protopie, etc)</li> <li>Coding/Software Development (Mechatronics, Arduino, Python, etc)</li> <li>Storytelling tools such as photography, videography</li> </ul> </ul> <p><strong>Salary & Benefits</strong></p> <p>IDEO is committed to paying its employees equitably, regardless of gender identity or race/ethnicity/cultural identity. 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