As a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Eargo, you will be encouraged to push the limits of hearing aid technology to create delightful experiences for our customers – you will define the future of hearing health. Mechanical Engineers are responsible for all technical activities related to product development from conception to production. Activities include concept development, product design, tooling and fixture design, manufacturing process development and validation, transfer into high-volume manufacturing, troubleshooting, and sustaining engineering. He/she must be a hands-on contributor with the ability to deliver tangible results in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. Collaboration with Marketing, R&D, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance will be essential to meet ambitious schedules and product requirements.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

Command the design of a product subassembly
Develop product sub-assembly concepts to satisfy marketing, safety, quality, capacity, and cost requirements
Evolve mechanical architectures to inform industrial design concepts which embody the Eargo aesthetic, while satisfying branding and performance requirements from marketing
Design and validate product implementations of diverse scope - including what the product is made of and how it is made - to appropriately mitigate product risks, by involving the entire Eargo development team and production supply chain in DFX reviews (DFX = Design for Manufacturability, Assembly, Reliability, Performance, etc) in all stages of the development process, in order to successfully complete prototype scale manufacturing lines for initial low-volume builds and testing, eventually scaling to high-volume production verification and validation builds
Validate, analyze, and refine designs by applying and integrating best practice development team tools and techniques, such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility (GR&R), Design of Experiments (DOE), Verification and Validation (V&V), Tolerance Analysis (TA), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Incoming / Outgoing Quality Control (IQC / OQC), Process Capability quantification (CP / CPK), Failure Analysis (FA), decision matrices, test protocol design, and test fixture design
Create, update, and maintain design documentation, including but not limited to 3D CAD models per team modeling methodology, 2D inspection drawings per team modeling methodology, bill of materials and associated cost, tooling strategy and associated cost, limit samples, standard operating procedures, work instructions, test / inspection protocols, test / inspection reports, failure analysis reports, investigation reports, build reports, and other related information while complying to Eargo design process procedures and quality controls
Collaborate and communicate with senior development team and senior external resources to convey design initiatives and resolve design issues, including regular presentations/updates to Eargo leadership
Autonomously identify and manage design risks and priorities, such that high-quality deliverables are completed before scheduled deadlines
Assist production transfer activities to manufacturing, including approximately 15% travel to manufacturing sites
Interview, onboard, and mentor new designers as required to grow the team
Other tasks, as directed by your supervisor

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a directly related engineering field and a minimum of 5 years of related professional experience, or a Master’s degree and a minimum of 3 years of related professional experience, or a Doctoral degree without professional experience, or equivalent professional experience
Demonstrated fulfillment of job responsibilities with moderate management direction - able to autonomously and proactively identify and manage design risks, tasks, and priorities
Experience with open-ended conceptual product development of diverse scope - able to make an idea a reality, synthesizing a variety of goals and requirements to create the best possible customer experience and performance - ideally including experience with complex, novel technologies in electronic, medical, acoustic, or other relevant consumer products
Seasoned knowledge of modern manufacturing processes - able to effectively design parts and assemblies for high-volume production manufacturability - ideally including experience creating molded parts, machined parts, die cut parts, circuit boards, and assembly lines (fixtures, procedures, process tuning, etc.)
Seasoned iteration skill - able to quickly communicate and test abstract ideas with prototypes, sketches, renderings, and presentations to facilitate effective design decisions - ideally including experience using rapid prototyping manufacturing techniques, Keynote, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Keyshot
Seasoned design creativity and judgement - able to find innovative, hidden solutions to challenging technical problems in a methodical manner - ideally including experience with Failure Analysis (FA) techniques, Design of Experiment (DOE), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), decision matrices, test protocol design, test fixture design
Seasoned mechanical engineering fundamentals - able to analyze material properties and select appropriate materials, analyze statics (free body diagrams, beam bending, etc.), and analyze dynamics (kinetic energy, dampening, etc.)
Effective at modeling - able to quickly develop precise 3D / 2D drawings in CAD software, and translate Incoming / Outgoing Quality Control (IQC / OQC) into drawings - ideally including experience using SolidWorks, statistical production controls including six sigma (CP / CPK), Tolerance Analysis (TA), and GD&T specifications
Understanding of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) - able to translate simulation results to design improvements - ideally including experience building and tuning FEA simulations using ANSYS
Clear verbal and written communication - able to manage and communicate complex concepts effectively
Flexibility to oversee design execution - able to travel approximately 15% to vendor sites, including overseas travel
Keen attention to detail and deadlines - able to produce high quality work deliverables, on time
Hunger to develop and grow as a designer - able to learn new skills in order to take your career to the next level
Insatiable curiosity - a burning desire to understand how delightful objects are created
A positive attitude - fun to work with in a challenging environment