Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

QuantumScape Corporation•San Jose, CA

7d•$112,500 - $163,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Hardware, Automation, and Metrology team at QuantumScape is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Senior Member of Technical Staff (SMTS), who is deeply experienced in automation equipment design and motivated by building first-of-a-kind manufacturing tools from concept to production. In this role, you will own the mechanical design of custom automation equipment across the full lifecycle—from early concept and prototyping through detailed design, build, FAT/SAT, and handoff to manufacturing—while working closely with systems, controls, electrical, process, and EHS partners. You will play a critical role in defining mechanical architecture, managing design risk, and ensuring designs are robust, manufacturable, serviceable, and safe. Given the complexity and novelty of our equipment, we are looking for someone who is hands-on, comfortable operating in ambiguity, and excited to help define best practices and standards for mechanical design within HAM. This opportunity offers significant technical ownership, cross-functional influence, and the ability to shape how advanced automation equipment is designed and scaled at QuantumScape. If you enjoy solving hard mechanical problems, mentoring others, and delivering real hardware that matters, we’d like to hear from you.

Requirements

Master’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field with typically 3+ years of relevant industry or applied engineering experience, or a Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of progressively responsible mechanical engineering experience; Ph.D.with no experience.
Deep, hands-on expertise in mechanism, hardware, and automation equipment design, including ownership of complex mechanical systems.
Practical experience with component manufacturing methods, including machining, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and sheet metal fabrication.
Advanced proficiency in 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Inventor, and CATIA, with the ability to produce production ready models and assemblies.
Strong working knowledge of ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards and their application to detailed mechanical drawings.
Demonstrated ability to apply strength of materials, machine design theory, and physics-based reasoning to estimate loads, assess factors of safety, select materials, and size mechanical components for reliability and scalability.
Proven capability to exercise independent technical judgment, solve complex and ambiguous mechanical problems, and influence design best practices across teams.
Effective collaborator across mechanical systems, controls, electrical, process, manufacturing, and EHS disciplines, with minimal supervision.
Willingness to support limited travel requirements (approximately 5% domestic and 5% international) for supplier engagement, build reviews, and equipment qualification.

Nice To Haves

1-2 years’ experience with designing Solid state, li-Ion or Fuel cell battery cell manufacturing systems.
Certified in GD&T standards
Certified in 3D CAD tools

Responsibilities

Lead the mechanical design and development of critical, first of a kind automation and process equipment supporting QuantumScape’ s next generation energy storage technology.
Own mechanical design scope end to end, from early concept definition through detailed design, build, qualification, and handoff to manufacturing, with accountability for technical decisions, risk mitigation, and design readiness.
Drive hands on mechanical design, prototyping, and validation to identify scalable, robust solutions suitable for volume production.
Define mechanical architecture, subsystem interfaces, and design approaches while incorporating DFM/DFA, reliability, maintainability, and safety considerations.
Partner closely with systems, controls, electrical, process, manufacturing, and EHS teams to deliver integrated equipment solutions across all phases of the design lifecycle, including specifications, design reviews, prototyping, assembly, testing, FAT/SAT, and continuous improvement.
Provide technical leadership within the mechanical design function by mentoring engineers, influencing best practices, and helping shape mechanical design standards across HAM.