Mechanical Design Engineer (product design)
ABOUT US
Peak Design makes radical, meticulously-engineered gear for detail-obsessed people. Our backpacks, travel bags, camera gear, and phone accessories are used dang-near everywhere. If you’ve visited Machu Picchu, Tokyo, or an REI store in the last 10 years, you’ve been within ogling distance of a Peak Design product.
Alongside our award-winning gear is a brand that truly reflects who we are as people—passionate about design, deeply caring about our environmental and social impact, unafraid to speak up, radically transparent, and generally down to clown. Whether we’re explaining a product, running a sale, launching a nonprofit, sponsoring a film, or razzing the biggest company on Earth, we do it with our trademark honesty, warmth, and wit. Through our products and our brand, we aim to create delight, and leave this world better than how we found it.
ABOUT THE JOB
Peak Design has traditionally made both hard goods and soft goods (think tripods and backpacks) and recently has made its first foray into electronics as part of our mobile ecosystem. We are currently looking to fill two Mechanical Engineering roles at Peak Design:
Mechanical Design Engineer (Tripod): In 2019 we released the world’s most successful Travel Tripod, and we called it… the Peak Design Travel Tripod. We spent 4 years developing it, and our customers have gone absolutely bananas over it. Check it out here. We are currently developing new tripods to expand our range of offerings in this hugely important product category. In this role, you would work with a small team of engineers and designers to develop, test, and manufacture the next generation of Peak Design tripods to cement our market dominance in the photo/video tripod world. You’d have significant ownership of complex mechanisms and subassemblies that require a borderline-fanatical focus on finding the right blend of functionality, user experience, aesthetics, weight, strength, stiffness, and cost. In other words, tripods are a whole lot of fun to design.
Mechanical Design Engineer (Mobile): In 2021 we released a revolutionary line of mobile phone cases and mounting solutions that we call, simply, Mobile. This line of products came from a significant R&D investment from our design team over the last few years and is just at the start of its journey into the market. This is an engineering role focused on mechanical development and testing of new products in this exciting new line. Day to day, you will own the mechanical development of new and existing products on this fast-paced and ever-changing roadmap.
ABOUT YOU
- Experience owning mechanical parts and assemblies from prototyping through mass production for high-volume products that have successfully shipped to customers.
- Highly effective at creating and maintaining complex 3D models in any major 3D CAD system. Bonus points for direct Onshape experience (we recently transitioned from Solidworks to Onshape).
- Strong desire for hands-on prototyping. You love to create actual functioning prototypes and products, not just design them virtually. You use a combination of 3D printing, off-the-shelf components, prototype CNC shops, and our own workshop tools.
- Strong mechanical aptitude, both hands-on and theoretical. You’ve worked extensively with moving parts and mechanisms.
- Deep familiarity with a few (or all) of the following manufacturing processes: CNC milling, die casting, injection molding, stamping, extrusion, and assembly.
- Familiarity with various surface finishes anodization, powder coating, painting, and plating.
- Familiarity with basic materials properties: aluminum alloys, steels, rubbers, plastics.
- Familiarity with phase-gates manufacturing systems (Proto, EVT, DVT, PVT, Mass Production).
- Previous travel to China and vendor management: Experience bringing up a manufacturing line and problem-solving in-person from EVT through MP. Working knowledge of supply chain structure and ability to navigate business and interpersonal relations between suppliers, sub-suppliers, contract manufacturers, and customers. Confidence in delegating tasks and the ability to inspire quick action on tough problems.
- (Mobile Role) Experience integrating electronic subassemblies and working with electrical engineers to mitigate cross-functional product risks like thermal management, cable management, and waterproofing.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
- You’re local to the San Francisco Bay Area (or willing to relocate for this role) and excited to work from our office/workshop in the Dogpatch a minimum of 2-3 days per week. These are not remote roles.
- You hold an undergraduate or graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, or comparable degree or experience.
- Willing and eager to travel to China or other parts of Asia to visit our suppliers 1-4 times per year.
- The ability to focus and thrive in a distracting, highly social office environment.
WHAT WE OFFER
- 100% covered employee premiums for medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
- Life/AD&D, long-term disability, and short-term disability coverage
- Generous mental health and fertility reimbursement options
- 401(k) plan with employer matching
- Unlimited PTO policy, 12 paid company holidays, and flexible work schedules
- 100% paid parental leave
- Peak Design product and exclusive industry discounts
- Monthly cell phone reimbursement
- Pre-tax commuter benefits
- Annual career development stipend
- Charitable donation program with employer matching
- Quarterly onsite or offsite collaboration weeks with the whole Peak Design team
WHY US?
Thanks to the folks at Outside Magazine, we can tell you that Peak Design is an objectively great place to work. Why? We provide opportunities to go deep in your craft, work both autonomously and collaboratively, drive your professional growth, and recharge with flexible Fridays and unlimited paid time off -- the saucy list of perks and benefits goes on. So, how do we maintain this exquisite way of working while also pulling off an exceptionally thoughtful brand and product line? A close-knit culture that values transparency, community, trust, and questioning the status quo.
Many employees find the way we run our business to be radically different from what they’ve experienced elsewhere. You might call it the opposite of micromanagement: employees are often expected to set their own priorities and roadmaps for their areas of the business. Who thrives here? Self-starters. Question-askers. People who make their own to-do lists. Folks who can do a little bit of everything. People who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty with nitty-gritty details in order to see a vision through.
If you prefer to work in a more traditional corporate environment, Peak Design might not be the place for you. But if you’re pickin’ up what we’re putting down, we look forward to hearing from you!
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING
At Peak Design we believe a diverse team is an innovative team and something worth celebrating. A range of perspectives and backgrounds creates a stronger and more creative work environment (not to mention more fun). We’re committed to equality and inclusivity across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and experience.
Some candidates may see a long list of job requirements and feel discouraged because they don’t match every single bullet point – we strongly encourage you to apply anyway! If what we do resonates with you, and you feel excited and able to contribute, we’re equally stoked for the opportunity to engage with you.
Apply at:
https://jobs.lever.co/peakdesign/22b77561-5bbf-48cc-b6af-dbedd24bed1d?lever-origin=applied&lever-source%5B%5D=Handshake