Senior Mechanical Engineer
Lime
San Francisco, CA, USA
Location
San Francisco, CA
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
Hybrid
Department
Hardware
Compensation
- $128K – $176K • Offers Equity • Offers Bonus
As a global leader in micromobility, Lime is on a mission to build a future where transportation is shared, affordable and carbon-free. A Time Magazine 100 Most Influential Company, Lime has powered more than one billion rides in close to 30 countries across five continents, spurring a new generation of clean alternatives to car ownership. Learn more at li.me.
Lime is looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to build the future of shared micromobility. This is a unique, hybrid role tailored for a highly analytical engineer who loves both advanced analysis and physical product design— splitting time between advanced CAE and mechanical design.
We aren't looking for a pure theorist; we need someone who uses simulation to drive practical design iterations. In this role, you will take ownership of safety-critical assemblies from CAD concept through advanced FEA, partnering with our test engineering teams to correlate your models with real-world physical data.
This is a hybrid position that combines remote and onsite work. The incumbent will be required to be onsite at our San Francisco Hardware Development Lab 1+ day each week.
Interview Note: We love to see engineering portfolios. Be prepared to walk us through a case study showing a complex structural failure or optimization challenge, your correlation methodology, and the final design solution.
What You'll Do:
Mechanical Design: Design, iterate, and structurally optimize vehicle frames, chassis, enclosures, and other safety-critical sub-systems.
Conduct Advanced Simulation: Perform CAE to evaluate and optimize vehicle assemblies and sub-systems to provide engineering confidence before releasing parts for tooling.
Test Correlation: Actively correlate analytical simulation results with physical testing data from the lab to continuously improve model accuracy and predictive insights.
Cross-Functional Engineering: Partner closely with multi-disciplinary engineering units and external global suppliers to translate concepts into manufacturable, high-reliability components.
Serve as Team CAE Expert: Act as the primary technical mentor and go-to resource for the engineering team; guide colleagues in establishing proper simulation setups, troubleshooting complex models, and validating boundary conditions.
Manufacturing & Builds: Support vehicle builds at our Asian Contract Manufacturers (CMs), which includes international travel approximately 2–3 times per year.
About You:
Education: MSc in Mechanical Engineering (or a related engineering discipline), or equivalent practical experience.
Experience: 6+ years of mechanical design and simulation experience, with a proven portfolio that shows design iteration driven by a practical blend of CAD (Solidworks preferred) and CAE (Abaqus preferred).
FEA Expertise: Capable of executing complex static, dynamic, vibration, fatigue, non-linear and fracture analyses for large assemblies and vehicles.
Analytical & Mechanical Skills: First-principles hand calculations, structural mechanics, classical beam theory, bolted joint and weldment analysis, free-body diagram development, and FEA model boundary condition validation.
Material Expertise: Aluminum metallurgy (6000 series), advanced manufacturing (HPDC casting, forging, extrusion), heat treatment (T4/T6), fatigue & fracture mechanics (S-N Curves, crack propagation), and weldment analysis.
Preferred Experience:
Prior engineering experience within the automotive, bicycle, or micromobility-adjacent industries.
U.S. Based Position - What We Offer:
Comprehensive Health & Wellness: A choice of medical, dental, and vision plans. We also provide company-paid life and disability insurance and company-funded mental health benefits.
Financial & Retirement Planning: 401(k) plan with both pre-tax and Roth options, and access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) with a monthly company contribution.
Family & Fertility Support: Paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents, plus fertility and family-forming benefits.
Paid Time Off: Unlimited vacation, paid leaves, and 10 company holidays.
Unique Lime Perks: Complimentary use of Lime vehicles in participating cities, a monthly phone allowance, dedicated learning and development days, and access to perks including One Medical, Wellhub, and Headspace.
The base salary range listed reflects what Lime reasonably expects to offer for this role, with the final base salary determined by objective factors such as the candidate’s location and relevant skills and experience. Depending on the position, the total compensation package may also include discretionary annual performance bonus opportunities and equity, subject to applicable plan terms and eligibility requirements.
Lime considers all qualified applicants for employment, including those with arrest or conviction records, in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act, and all other applicable federal, state, and local laws.
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If you want to make an impact, Lime is the place for you. Not sure if you meet all the qualifications? If this role excites you we encourage you to apply. Explore all opportunities on our career page.
Lime is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe different perspectives help us grow and achieve more. That’s why we’re dedicated to building and developing a team that reflects a wider range of backgrounds, abilities, identities, and experiences. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or hiring process, please email recruiting-operations@li.me for assistance.
Compensation Range: $128K - $176K