About the roleWe are seeking a hands-on, detail-oriented Engineering Technician with a strong background in mechanical/electrical prototyping, custom fabrication, and creative assembly building. The ideal candidate is a "maker" at heart-someone who builds, customizes, and experiments with machines, whether that's cars, motorcycles, drones, RC vehicles, or robotics.
In this role, you'll work closely with our engineering team to bring cutting-edge autonomous vehicle systems to life through rapid prototyping, integration, testing, and iterative design. The right candidate has leveraged their creativity to develop custom assemblies or functional systems, either in a personal setting or professionally, and thrives in a fast-paced R&D environment.
This is a full-time, onsite role based in Santa Clara, CA, requiring five days per week in the office
What you'll do- Build, modify, and maintain prototype autonomous vehicles, test platforms or benches.
- Integrate mechanical and electrical components such as sensors, actuators, compute units, and power systems.
- Fabricate brackets, mounts, and custom parts using rapid prototyping tools (3D printers, laser cutters, welders, etc.).
- Build and route wire harnesses, perform soldering/crimping, and troubleshoot electrical connections.
- Execute test plans and collect system performance data during in-lab and on-road testing.
- Collaborate closely with engineers to iterate on hardware and integration approaches.
- Maintain the prototyping garage/shop, ensuring tools, materials, and components are organized and safe to use
- Diagnosing and resolving mechanical, electrical, or system integration issues
What we're looking for- Proven hands-on experience building or customizing vehicles, motorcycles, robotic systems, drones, or RC vehicles
- Demonstrated ability to create custom mechanical or electrical assemblies from scratch or adapt existing systems creatively
- Comfort working with mechanical tools, electrical prototyping equipment, and basic fabrication tools.
- Understanding of vehicle systems (chassis, suspension, drivetrain) and/or embedded electronics (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, sensor integration)
- Ability to work from engineering drawings, rough sketches, or verbal guidance to produce working assemblies
- Ability to create parts in CAD (SolidWorks or NX preferred)
- Self-motivated and detail-oriented with a "get-it-done" mindset-thrives in a prototyping-heavy, hands-on environment
Bonus Points- Experience in an R&D lab, automotive/motorsports shop, or hardware prototyping environment
- Skills in welding, machining/CNC, or composite fabrication (fiberglass, carbon fiber, etc.)
- Exposure to autonomous systems, including LiDAR, radar, GPS/INS, cameras, or drive-by-wire systems
- Familiarity with automotive communication protocols (CAN, LIN) and diagnostic tools
- Experience documenting builds and collaborating through platforms like Confluence, or Jira
Salary Range- $80,000- $120,000
