Product Design Engineer

Backbone - Atherton, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Hybrid - Atherton, CA

Publishing Industries

About the position

We're looking for skilled Hardware Product Design Engineers with experience shipping consumer products to join our devices team. You'll have the opportunity to drive conception, development and mass production of exciting future products in close collaboration with the industry's best industrial designers, electrical engineers, operations managers and software engineers. This is a hybrid role requiring in-office time at our Palo Alto hardware engineering office.

Responsibilities

• Own hardware design modules and/or programs end to end, from initial concept through shipping and sustaining
• Create design solutions based on first-principles and technical analysis followed by implementation in CAD (Onshape, Creo)
• Communicate and collaborate with key cross-functional team members, including executives and leads
• Create and own 2D documentation for parts, including GD&T, test/reliability instructions and datum schemes
• Conduct regular design reviews, soliciting feedback and building alignment with other team members
• Validate designs through physical prototypes (cardboard, 3D printing and CNC) and reliability, ergonomic and user research testing
• Drive DFM from international partners and ensure designs are both robust and manufacturable
• Continually de-risk programs through engineering analysis and program management
• Raise the bar for mechanical engineering and manufacturing best practices on the team

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience owning hardware on shipped mass-market products, including failure analysis/corrective action ownership
• Exceptional communication and organization skills with ability to clearly articulate and document issues, including excellent presentation/slide skills
• Demonstrated experience designing parts for injection molding and one or more of the following processes: 2D processes (sheet metal stamping, die cut), CNC fabrication, die casting, metal injection molding
• Strong proficiency with CAD (Creo preferred)
• Strong proficiency with creating 2D drawings, including GD&T, linear tolerances, tolerance analysis, IQC/IPQC/OQC inspection procedures and assembly datums
• Experience working in high-pressure, low-information environments requiring successful risk judgement, strong decision making skills and personal resiliency
• Comfortable taking constructive feedback and improving performance at a dynamic and rapidly growing company
• Able to work autonomously with strong commitment to ownership over tasks and prototypes, including accountability as a Directly Responsible Individual (DRI)
• Ability to generate bursts of high-intensity output when needed
• This role requires up to 25% international travel

Nice-to-haves

• Leadership role on multiple shipped mass-market products (1M+ units per year)
• Proficiency in statistical process control and other quality tools; experience with Tableau, JMP, Excel
• Experience with electrical and/or mechanical test rigs; experience designing mass production manufacturing jigs
• Previous experience working on both small (startup) and large (big tech) teams
• Previous experience directly working with overseas/APO CM and parts vendors
• Interest in learning new hardware/software skills with goal of continuous growth
• Desire to build cross-functional team relationships and continuously improve communication, development and analysis processes
• Experience with model construction and prototyping, including SLS, SLA and FDM 3D printing
• Interest or experience in gaming industry, especially handhelds
• BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent

Benefits

• Bi-annual off-sites to spend time with the team
• Offices in Seattle and the SF Bay Area (Atherton)
• Hybrid office model
• 401k match
• Full medical, dental, and vision for all FTE roles
• Free Backbone products (sometimes free games too!)