Lightship is an early-stage hardware startup launched in 2020 by Tesla alumni that is bringing the $26B recreational vehicle industry into the electric age. Based in San Francisco and Boulder, Lightship is designing and producing an aerodynamic, battery-powered trailer that liberates travelers from the noise, emissions, and range anxiety of gas RVing.
Overview
Lightship is the first American all-electric recreational vehicle manufacturer currently developing an aerodynamic, battery-powered trailer for the electric age. As the macro transition to an all-electric transportation ecosystem accelerates, Lightship is bringing the increased convenience and superior performance that electrification offers to a pastime enjoyed by over 11 million American families.
Honoring Diverse Perspectives
Lightship is committed to hiring and developing top talent from diverse backgrounds. We believe representing and supporting diverse groups is key to the success of our team members, customers, shareholders and the achievement of our mission and vision. We operate in a collaborative environment with a flat organizational structure and expect a high degree of integrity, autonomy and creativity from all members of the team.
About the Role
Lightship is seeking a highly experienced and talented Staff Manufacturing Engineer to join our team. As a Staff Manufacturing Engineer, you will be responsible for leading the engineering development and in-house manufacturing of our cutting-edge hardware product. You will be tasked with creating manufacturing lines from the ground up and managing the bring up of production. This is a critical role in ensuring our product is manufactured at the highest quality level, while meeting cost, schedule, and performance requirements.
Employee Benefits & Philosophy - Applies to Full Time Employees only
- Healthcare, Dental, Vision
- 401k
- Flexible Paid Time Off - that we actually want you to use!
- 8 Company Holidays + the company observes a period of scheduled downtime during the end of the year for a week, allowing all employees to enjoy a break
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
- $2,000 per year towards an RV trip of your own &/or professional development opportunities - we call this a LightTrip
Lightship offers all of its full time employees and their dependents full benefits including health, dental and vision insurance and covers 100% of the insurance premium. We are on a mission to create a more healthful all-electric experience for a pastime that millions of families enjoy and believe strongly that our team should not have to worry about quality healthcare for themselves or their loved ones along the way.
Responsibilities
Manage the design, procurement, installation, and ramp of an RV production lineProvide manufacturing and operations technical guidance for manufacturing-adjacent team membersDirect the development of manufacturing processes, fixtures and equipment from concept through production implementationPartner with product mechanical design engineers on product design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) principlesManage the installation and commissioning of manufacturing lines in-house, including equipment selection, procurement, and qualificationDevelop station requirements - work content, buffering strategy, staffing, tooling, capexDevelop and execute testing plans to ensure manufacturing lines meet performance and quality requirementsCreate detailed Manufacturing Instructions to document new processesWork closely with cross-functional teams, including engineering design, supply chain, and operations to ensure seamless product launch through production rampIdentify and drive continuous improvement opportunities to optimize product and manufacturing cost, quality, and manufacturabilityComplete process failure mode and analysis (PFMEA)Ensure compliance with all safety, regulatory, and environmental requirementsMinimum Qualifications
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or related field6+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, with a proven track record of creating and implementing manufacturing lines from the ground upExperience in fixture design and design validationExperience developing new manufacturing processes for manual stations including tooling for assembly, part handling, and ergonomicsExperience in hardware product development and manufacturing, with a focus on DFM and DFAExperience as the lead manufacturing engineer on a highly diversified production lineStrong knowledge of lean manufacturing concepts, process control, and statistical process control (SPC)Strong project management skills, with the ability to drive cross-functional teams and manage complex projectsExperience with New Product Introduction - close collaboration or as a process driverExcellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to present technical information to all levels of the organizationDemonstrated experience developing line layouts in AutoCAD or equivalentExperience with applying industrial manufacturing concepts such as line balancing and timing chartsExperienced user of CAD programsUnderstanding of tolerance stack-upPreferred Qualifications
Experience in the RV or automotive industryExperience with adhesives and adhesive dispense equipmentComfortable in CATIA V6Experience with MES and database system architecture and trackingEquity
Lightship compensation consists of the yearly salary above plus equity, which gives you a stake in the company.