Product Design / Studio Engineer

Glydways is reimagining public transit with innovative solutions for accessible and sustainable transportation. They are seeking a Product Design / Studio Engineer to bridge the gap between Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering, ensuring that design intent is maintained while translating concepts into functional vehicle architectures.

Responsibilities:

• Champion Design through the lens of mechanical engineering. Bring technical rigor, creative problem-solving, and engineering judgment to the design process; guiding the team through complex tradeoffs and ensuring compromises strengthen rather than dilute the overall product vision
• Bridge Design Intent & Engineering Execution: Partner closely with internal Industrial Design and UX teams to protect the cosmetic and ergonomic vision of the rider experience while driving structural and mechanical viability
• Own Physical Vehicle Architecture: Manage micro-tolerance loops, high-density component integration (displays, sensors, lighting, interior electronics), and complex packaging layout inside tight, highly stylized enclosures
• Drive Advanced CAD & Surfacing: Lead the development of high-quality Class-A surfaces and digital master models, serving as the single source of truth that translates industrial design sketches into production-ready mechanical files
• Rapid Prototyping & Validation: Conceptualize, build, and test proof-of-concept mockups using quick-turn CNC, 3D printing, and custom fabrication to validate ergonomics and aesthetic choices in real time
• Design for High-Volume Manufacturability (DFM): Design highly cosmetic components, exterior paneling, and interior structures optimized for high-volume processes (injection molding, thermoforming, composites, sheet metal, and casting)
• Vendor Collaboration & Factory Bring-Up: Partner with external manufacturing vendors to ensure that visual and cosmetic standards are maintained through the molding validation, tooling, and initial vehicle assembly phases
• Establish Design Standards: Help define and govern physical cosmetic standards, texture finishes, and tolerance guidelines to ensure every vehicle in the Glydways fleet shows up as a seamless, high-quality representation of the brand

Requirements:

• 5–10+ years of experience as a Product Design Engineer (PDE), Studio Engineer, or Mechanical Engineer working closely with Industrial Design teams at automotive, high-growth technology, consumer hardware, or mobility companies
• A strong portfolio demonstrating complex physical architecture layout, high-density integration, and a history of taking highly cosmetic hardware products from a sketch to high-volume production
• Exceptional proficiency in advanced 3D surfacing and master-modeling techniques using industry-standard tools like Siemens NX, Creo (Pro-E), or SolidWorks
• Ability to navigate complex, infrastructure-heavy electro-mechanical systems and distill them into refined, clean design executions without compromising performance or aesthetics
• Deep knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, and mass-production techniques across plastic injection molding, stamping, casting, and cosmetic finishing
• Comfortable operating at the interface of creative and highly technical teams; an excellent communicator who can confidently advocate for both engineering integrity and beautiful design
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity, building vehicle programs from scratch, and iterating quickly as we scale our network