What are the responsibilities and job description for the Lead Design Engineer position at Gantri?
Company
Gantri is the first digital manufacturer for design. We enable any designer or brand to create high-quality, sustainable design products 10x faster with no minimums. We manufacture at our Digital Factory in California on-demand at industrial-scale efficiency and ship directly to the end customer. Gantri is the most awarded design manufacturer in America.
Role
We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer to support Gantri’s industrial design team and bridge their vision with global manufacturing partners. In this role, you’ll design and refine the foundational building blocks of Gantri products—shaping them for our next-generation digital manufacturing platform. You’ll ensure our creations are functional, manufacturable, and optimized for sustainability while helping bring bold ideas to life. This role is highly collaborative and hands-on, spanning product design, documentation, project management, and vendor support.
\n- Product Design & Development: Create and refine key components for Gantri products (e.g., lights and other items) using SolidWorks, SuperSlicer, and Illustrator. Translate industrial design concepts into detailed hardware specs for injection-molded, 3D-printed, stamped metal, and laser-cut parts for both overseas and domestic production.
- Continuous Improvement: Analyze issue reports against sales data to prioritize high-impact problems. Conduct Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) on returned products to identify root causes and validate solutions.
- Documentation & Manufacturability: Produce detailed SOPs, part documentation, and specifications optimized for medium-volume manufacturing and international sourcing. Write RFQs for electronic components (PCBA, batteries, cables, and related materials). Maintain strong CAD organization with PLM systems.
- Project Management: Oversee new product inventory projects, defining requirements and coordinating timelines using Excel and SolidWorks. Support exploration of new product categories, ensuring design and manufacturing alignment.
- Vendor Management & Sourcing Support: Collaborate with overseas manufacturing partners and Gantri’s remote Sourcing Manager to refine hardware development. Assist with vendor selection and provide technical expertise on sourced components, particularly electronics.
- Design Optimization: Use CAD, Excel, and engineering formulas to define design parameters and optimize product performance for Gantri’s digital manufacturing platform.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
- 5 years of experience in mechanical or industrial design engineering with a focus on hardware development.
- Proficiency in SolidWorks for 3D modeling, detailing, and GD&T.
- Hands-on experience designing for injection molding, 3D printing, stamped metal, laser cutting, and metal 3D printing.
- Strong background in FMEA and continuous improvement practices.
- Experience writing specifications and RFQs for electronic components (PCBA, batteries, cables).
- Skilled in Excel for data analysis, formulas, and decision-making support.
- Familiarity with PLM systems and CAD organization.
- Proven success collaborating with overseas manufacturing partners and supporting sourcing processes.
- Strong project management skills with attention to detail, problem-solving ability, and effective cross-team communication.
- Knowledge of sustainable materials and their application in product design.
- Experience with rapid prototyping processes.
- Familiarity with furniture or non-lighting product hardware.
- Background in lighting product design.
- Experience with process optimization in a design or manufacturing context.
- A creative mindset with a track record of innovative design solutions.
- Be part of a company reimagining how design meets manufacturing.
- Play a pivotal role in shaping the building blocks of Gantri products.
- Drive innovation on our next-generation digital manufacturing platform.
- Advance sustainable design practices in real-world production.
- Work in a fast-growing, design-driven environment.
- Bring visionary concepts to life at scale.
- Competitive salary and equity options
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
- Paid time off and flexible vacation policy
- 401(k) retirement plan with company match
- Professional development opportunities and learning stipend
- Collaborative, creative, and sustainability-focused work environment
- Access to Gantri-designed products and innovation initiative