Mechanical Assembly Technician

Mechanical Assembly Technician 

Parallel Systems is seeking a Mechanical Assembly Technician to support the assembly of our first production autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles. This role will be embedded in the build process from the ground up, working alongside our manufacturing partner and engineering teams to develop a deep understanding of how our vehicles are assembled, identify quality and process issues, and help improve how future vehicles are built. 

The ideal candidate is a hands-on technician with experience assembling complex mechanical systems, thrives in low-volume production environments, and is comfortable working directly with engineers to solve problems on the shop floor. 

This position is based at our Los Angeles facility and requires extensive travel to our contract manufacturer during active vehicle builds. 

Responsibilities: 

• Support the end-to-end mechanical assembly of Parallel’s first production vehicles at our contract manufacturer’s facility 
• Perform hands-on assembly using hand tools, power tools, torque tools, fixtures, and shop equipment 
• Read and follow mechanical drawings, work instructions, torque specifications, and build documentation 
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the vehicle architecture, subsystems, and assembly sequence 
• Identify quality issues, assembly challenges, and opportunities to improve vehicle design and manufacturing processes 
• Work directly with design and manufacturing engineers to communicate issues and implement corrective actions 
• Document lessons learned, assembly procedures, quality checkpoints, and recommended process improvements 
• Support the fabrication and assembly of engineering test benches, fixtures, prototype hardware, and other equipment at Parallel’s Los Angeles shop 
• Help develop standardized work instructions and processes for future vehicle builds 
• Train and support additional technicians as Parallel’s manufacturing team grows 

What Success Looks Like: 

• After 30 Days: You’ve developed a strong understanding of the vehicle architecture, assembly documentation, and manufacturing process and are actively supporting production builds 
• After 60 Days: You’re independently completing major assembly tasks, identifying issues before they slow production, and working directly with engineering to improve build quality and repeatability 
• After 90 Days: You’ve helped bring the first three production vehicles to completion and are providing specific, actionable feedback on engineering and assembly process improvements 
• After 180 Days: You’ve supported the completion of the full initial production run, developed a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end build process, and are helping plan and prepare for the next block of vehicles 

Basic Requirements: 

• 3+ years of hands-on mechanical assembly experience in a shop, manufacturing, prototype, or vehicle environment 
• Experience using hand tools, power tools, torque tools, and common shop equipment 
• Ability to read mechanical drawings, assembly instructions, and torque specifications 
• Experience assembling complex mechanical systems such as vehicles, heavy equipment, rail systems, aerospace hardware, industrial machinery, or robotics 
• Comfortable working in a low-volume environment where processes are still being developed 
• Strong attention to detail, commitment to safety, and ability to communicate effectively with engineers 
• Ability to travel extensively to our contract manufacturer during active vehicle builds 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Evidence of exceptional ability through prior projects, vehicle builds, fabrication work, or completed products 
• Experience assembling rail vehicles, commercial vehicles, heavy equipment, aerospace systems, or other safety-critical hardware 
• Experience working with vehicle systems such as brakes, gearboxes, axles, suspension systems, or bogies 
• Experience supporting prototype, first-article, or new product introduction builds 
• Experience building engineering test benches, fixtures, or prototype hardware 
• Experience identifying design-for-assembly or manufacturing process improvements 
• Experience training, mentoring, or leading other technicians