Staff Mechanical Engineer

The Staff Mechanical Engineer at Redwood Materials has a variety of responsibilities including designing, building, and prototyping new industrial reactor designs. The role emphasizes manufacturability and reliability, and includes managing prototyping initiatives and collaborating with technicians to demonstrate design improvements. Additionally, the engineer develops mechanical BOM cost models, manages relationships with vendors, and plays a critical role in verification and validation testing to ensure that designs meet all required specifications.

To qualify for the Staff Mechanical Engineer position at Redwood Materials, candidates must possess a BS or MS degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, along with over 10 years of industry experience as a mechanical engineer. Expertise in cost-conscious design, project management of prototypes, and proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred) are also essential. Experience in managing external vendor relationships and performing mechanical FEA simulations is required, along with a passion for sustainability.

The work environment for a Staff Mechanical Engineer at Redwood Materials is diverse and dynamic, encompassing an office setting, machine shop, wet laboratory, chemical plant, and outdoor test sites. Engineers are expected to engage hands-on with lab work, standing and operating equipment at various facilities. This position requires a small amount of travel, less than 10%, ensuring that team members engage both in the office and in practical lab settings.

A Staff Mechanical Engineer at Redwood Materials should be highly skilled in using 3D CAD software, with SolidWorks being the preferred tool. Familiarity with detailed engineering drawings, GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing), and mechanical FEA (Finite Element Analysis) is crucial for success in the role. The engineer should also have a solid understanding of cost models and mechanical design best practices as they relate to manufacturing.

Redwood Materials offers a unique opportunity for a Staff Mechanical Engineer to apply their skills towards innovative and sustainable solutions in the energy sector. The company's focus on sustainability and recycling of lithium-ion battery materials aligns with a growing commitment to environmental responsibility. Engineers will work on cutting-edge technologies in a collaborative atmosphere, making a meaningful impact in creating a cleaner and more sustainable future.

While answering this question, highlight specific projects where you successfully implemented design for manufacturing principles. Talk about how you collaborated with manufacturing teams to streamline the production process and what methods you employed to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness in your designs.

Discuss your methodology when beginning a design project, including how you define objectives, gather requirements, and conduct research. Emphasize the importance of collaborating with cross-functional teams and engaging stakeholders early on to align on goals and expectations.

Describe your approach for analyzing feedback from prototype testing. Explain how you prioritize changes based on testing data and stakeholder input. Provide examples of how you’ve iterated on designs to improve performance or functionality in past projects.

Emphasize your communication and relationship-building skills when talking about vendor management. Share specific experiences where you ensured quality through regular check-ins, setting clear expectations, and following up on product deliveries, ensuring that the materials met the company's standards.

When discussing your experience with mechanical FEA simulations, provide examples of projects where you've utilized this tool to support design decisions. Talk about how FEA has aided you in predicting the performance of materials and structures under various loads, and how this informed your design approaches.

Address this question by sharing a specific challenge you encountered when collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, and explain how you resolved it through communication and compromise. Highlight the importance of peer input and interdisciplinary knowledge in achieving project goals.

Outline your approach to developing a BOM cost model, including data collection from various sources, analyzing cost drivers, and identifying opportunities for cost reduction. Use an example from your past experience to illustrate how your model positively impacted project outcomes.

Explain how you check your designs against commercial goals using KPIs or metrics. Highlight the importance of regular communication with stakeholders to gather feedback, ensuring that the engineering objectives are synchronized with market demands.

Discuss the methodologies you follow to ensure reliability, such as conducting thorough testing, utilizing quality materials, and involving multi-disciplinary teams for iterative feedback. Share an example where your attention to reliability led to successful project implementation.

Articulate your commitment to sustainability and discuss how it has influenced your design philosophy. Share instances where you selected materials or implemented processes that reduced environmental impact while meeting engineering objectives.