Job Opening for BrightDrop – Product Design Engineer – Mechanical in General Motors (429 Portage Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306)

BrightDrop, we are reshaping e-commerce by developing smarter, greener, and more efficient ways to deliver goods and services to your door, while delivering a brighter future for the cities where we live. We are building an ecosystem of all-electric, zero-emissions delivery solutions – from electric vehicles, to ePallets and software that leverages real-time data to drive intelligent optimizations for e-commerce. To deliver on our mission we are growing fast and building a team, based in Palo Alto, with offices in Atlanta and Detroit, that is customer-focused, agile and passionate about innovating for a more sustainable future.

From engineering to product management and operations, BrightDrop is looking for people who can combine a passion for technology and sustainability with high doses of curiosity and rigorous thinking to deliver a better future.

Backed by General Motors, BrightDrop is striving to improve the communities where we live and deliver a better future for generations to come. We hope you’ll join us.

The Role

As a Product Design Engineer, you will be responsible for leading product development activities in the last-mile delivery space. This will include utilizing an agile approach to create innovative designs that are focused on our customer struggles. In this role you will be responsible for mechanical designs completed both in house and by partnering closely with our supply base. As an individual contributor you will use your analytical ability in the design, development and implementation of technical solutions focused on mechanical design and integration.

Additional Responsibilities include:

Engineering development for various Brightdrop products – including requirements gathering, concept generation, detailed design, prototyping, analysis & verification testing, cross functional reviews and manufacturing release.
Understand, dissect, and solve complex design challenges, both independently and as a member of a design team.
Championing a human centered design approach to product development efforts.
Efficient and appropriate use of design tools including hand sketches, spreadsheets, solid modeling software, workshop tools, catalog suppliers, rapid prototype technologies, and testing methodologies to conceptualize, design, prototype, and document the mechanical designs of parts and assemblies.
Evaluating design and use risks and hazards, using methods such as FMEA to appropriately evaluate these risks.
Participating in brainstorming and conceptualization efforts to provide input into design solutions for system architecture development, mechanism alternatives, component part breakups, and manufacturing process options.
Using proof-of-principle models and other early evaluation methods to test conceptual approaches.
Using best in class CAD modeling techniques to create comprehensive CAD databases.
Applying technical expertise of engineering principles such as mechanics, kinematics, mechatronics, structural analysis and thermodynamics
Utilizing analytical tools, such as FEA and CFD, to evaluate the structural, thermal, and fluid flow characteristic of designs.
Developing QC or detail drawings which communicate design intent and critical to quality characteristics.
Supporting the fabrication and evaluation of verification prototypes, and evaluation the capabilities of suppliers as appropriate.

Project Management (as applicable)

Communicate resource needs and timeframes, to facilitate the appropriate staffing of project teams.
Provide clear and timely feedback on how the project is going, what is being worked on, and what Project Managers should expect. Raise concerns and issues as you learn about them, before they become problems.
Professional Development

Know more at the end of this year than you did last year.
Be curious, and continually self-assess deficiencies and seek opportunities for growth.
Be open, available, and willing to help out.
Strive to become a person that people seek out as a resource, due to both personality and skill set.

Additional Job Description
Qualifications

Preferred BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering
Minimum of 6 years’ experience
Experience in designing complex mechanical systems and assemblies.
Excellent facility with 3D CAD systems. NX experience preferred.
Well versed in core mechanical engineering analytical skills with understanding of mechanical tolerances and ability to perform detailed tolerance loop analysis.
Superior communication skills including written, oral, and graphic presentation.
Awesome analytical and organizational skills
Knowledge of DFM practices and experience with a variety of manufacturing processes including injection-molded plastics, formed and stamped sheet metal, castings, extrusions, welding, adhesives, finishes, etc.
Preferred experience with structural and thermal analysis techniques for small to large electronics packaging systems.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We aspire to be the most inclusive company in the world. We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Our Work Appropriately philosophy supports our foundation of inclusion and provides employees the flexibility to work where they can have the greatest impact on achieving our goals, dependent on role needs. Every day, we want every employee, no matter their background, ethnicity, preferences, or location, to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

The goal of the General Motors total rewards program is to support the health and well-being of you and your family. Our comprehensive compensation plan incudes, the following benefits, in addition to many others:
Paid time off including vacation days, holidays, and parental leave for mothers, fathers and adoptive parents;Healthcare (including a triple tax advantaged health savings account and wellness incentive), dental, vision and life insurance plans to cover you and your family;Company and matching contributions to 401K savings plan to help you save for retirement;Global recognition program for peers and leaders to recognize and be recognized for results and behaviors that reflect our company values;
Tuition assistance and student loan refinancing;Discount on GM vehicles for you, your family and friends.

Diversity Information

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that workforce diversity creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers. We understand and embrace the variety through which people gain experiences whether through professional, personal, educational, or volunteer opportunities.GM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications and apply for any positions that match your skills and capabilities.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statements

The policy of General Motors is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status. Additionally, General Motors is committed to being an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us atCareers.Accommodations@GM.com. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.