Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – EV Battery Packs & High-Voltage Systems | SolidWorks, GD&T & DFM — Los Alamitos, CA

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – EV Battery Packs & High-Voltage Systems | SolidWorks, GD&T & DFM

C2C / Third-Party: No third-party firms. Independent consultants with their own corporation are welcome to apply, subject to C2C requirements (including business liability insurance). Individual C2C consultants are acceptable. Third-party staffing firms, candidate resellers, and layered/pass-through C2C arrangements are not.

Location: Los Alamitos, CA – 100% Onsite (5 days/week); core hours approximately 10 AM–4 PM with flexible start/end times

Employment Type: Projected 6-month contract with potential extensions and opportunity for conversion to direct hire

Pay Rate: $60–$85/hr W2

KORE1, a nationwide provider of staffing and recruiting solutions, is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer for a contract opportunity supporting the development of advanced EV battery packs and high-voltage energy storage systems.

We are seeking a highly experienced, hands-on mechanical engineer with a strong background in EV battery-pack design, high-voltage systems, and mechanical product development . The ideal candidate understands battery-pack architecture, including cell-to-module/pack structures, thermal management, liquid cooling, cold plates, sealing, and venting, and can translate early-stage concepts into detailed, manufacturable designs.

This position requires an engineer who can move quickly from initial sketches or engineering requirements through complex 3D CAD development, manufacturing drawings, supplier collaboration, and physical prototypes. The team needs a versatile engineer who brings practical expertise in material selection, manufacturing methods, design optimization, and prototype-to-production transitions.

Beyond individual design contributions, this engineer will provide technical guidance, review other engineers' work, and help establish sound mechanical engineering practices. This is a senior individual contributor position, not a formal people management role.

Responsibilities

Lead hands-on mechanical design and development of EV battery packs and high-voltage energy storage hardware , including enclosures, module structures, thermal management interfaces, busbars, mounting systems, sealing, and venting.

Develop mechanical designs for cell-to-module and module-to-pack structures, incorporating packaging constraints, thermal management requirements, high-voltage interfaces, and mechanical integration considerations.

Translate early-stage concepts, sketches, and engineering requirements into detailed 3D CAD models, complex assemblies, configurations, and manufacturing drawings.

Build and manage SolidWorks assemblies, engineering drawings, configurations, and design revisions throughout the product development lifecycle.

Drive mechanical designs from concept through detailed engineering, prototype fabrication, validation, and production readiness.

Evaluate material choices, manufacturing processes, and design trade-offs to optimize weight, structural integrity, thermal performance, manufacturability, serviceability, and cost.

Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles, considering manufacturing processes such as CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, composite structures, injection molding, and other appropriate fabrication methods.

Support the transition from prototype manufacturing methods, including 3D printing, to scalable production processes as manufacturing volumes increase.

Collaborate directly with suppliers and manufacturing partners to evaluate fabrication methods, review design feasibility, resolve manufacturing issues, and obtain prototype components.

Plan and review engineering validation activities, including structural analysis, vibration/shock testing, thermal performance, and ingress protection.

Review CAD designs, engineering drawings, and analyses produced by other engineers, providing clear, constructive feedback and practical recommendations.

Apply GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis to ensure proper fit, function, assembly, and manufacturability.

Contribute to design reviews, engineering release processes, revision control, documentation standards, and mechanical design best practices.

Work closely with electrical, thermal, test, and manufacturing engineers to resolve battery-pack interfaces, packaging constraints, and integration challenges.

Provide informal technical leadership and mentorship, helping guide engineering decisions and improve overall design quality.

Adapt across different mechanical components, materials, and development priorities in a fast-paced, lightly structured engineering environment.

Requirements

Approximately 10–15 years of mechanical engineering and product design experience , including a proven track record of taking complex mechanical hardware from concept through prototype and production.

Strongly preferred: Direct experience designing EV battery packs, battery modules, or high-voltage energy storage systems, with a target of at least four years of relevant battery-pack, EV, or comparable energy storage hardware experience.

Strongly preferred: Knowledge of high-voltage battery-pack architecture and mechanical design, including cell-to-module/pack structures, thermal management, liquid cooling, cold plates, thermal interface materials, sealing, and venting.

Strongly preferred: Familiarity with high-voltage systems and associated safety considerations, particularly in engineering development, prototyping, and workshop environments.

Advanced 3D CAD design skills , including large assemblies, surfacing, sheet metal, weldments, detailed engineering drawings, and PDM/revision control. SolidWorks is preferred; extensive experience with CATIA or Siemens NX may be considered for candidates willing and able to transition to SolidWorks.

Broad mechanical design expertise across component development, material selection, manufacturing methods, and mechanical integration, rather than experience limited to a narrowly specialized subsystem.

Demonstrated ability to take early-stage concepts, sketches, and engineering requirements through detailed CAD design, manufacturing drawings, supplier discussions, and physical prototype development.

Strong knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis.

Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) , including material selection, manufacturing feasibility, fabrication methods, and production considerations.

Familiarity with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and its application to mechanical design and engineering risk assessment.

Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools, such as SolidWorks Simulation, and the ability to interpret results and apply findings to mechanical designs.

Practical knowledge of manufacturing processes, particularly CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and injection molding, with an understanding of prototype-to-production transitions.

Experience collaborating directly with suppliers and manufacturing partners on fabrication, prototype development, design revisions, and production readiness.

Strong engineering judgment, including the ability to independently recommend materials, manufacturing processes, and practical mechanical design solutions.

Ability to review engineering designs and analyses, provide constructive technical feedback, and mentor less-experienced engineers.

Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively across mechanical, electrical, thermal, test, and manufacturing disciplines.

Comfortable working in a fast-moving, lightly structured development environment requiring flexibility, independent decision-making, and hands-on technical contributions.

Ability to work 100% onsite in Los Alamitos, CA .

Preferred: Familiarity with relevant battery and vehicle standards, including UN 38.3, UL 2580, ISO 12405, and ECE R100.

Nice to have: Experience with pack-level thermal runaway propagation mitigation and high-voltage safety design considerations.

Nice to have: Experience with composite structures, advanced materials such as titanium or Inconel, and specialized manufacturing processes.

Nice to have: Experience with DFMEA and supplier qualification.

Nice to have: Experience supporting low-to-medium-volume manufacturing, including transitions from prototype builds to production volumes of several thousand units annually.

Alternative backgrounds considered: Candidates with extensive mechanical product development experience in broader automotive applications, aerospace, motorsports, or other advanced hardware environments may be considered if suitable EV battery-pack specialists are unavailable. These candidates must demonstrate strong 3D CAD capabilities, broad mechanical design expertise, manufacturing knowledge, and concept-to-production experience.

About the Opportunity

The immediate priority is advancing early-stage battery-pack and mechanical hardware concepts into manufacturable CAD designs, detailed engineering drawings, supplier discussions, and physical prototype components. Current development efforts are targeting initial prototypes within approximately three to four months, followed by progression toward production.

The team is particularly interested in engineers who bring direct EV battery-pack and high-voltage systems experience, allowing them to contribute quickly with minimal ramp-up. Candidates should be comfortable working across mechanical components, selecting appropriate materials and manufacturing methods, and making practical engineering decisions without extensive oversight.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on senior technical contributor who can help guide other engineers, strengthen design practices, and accelerate product development in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

ABOUT KORE1

Specializing in professional and technical recruiting, KORE1 is committed to supporting top IT, engineering, creative, scientific, accounting and finance professionals in their career paths. We build deep relationships with our candidates and clients, allowing us to deliver an unmatched level of service and a true partnership.

KORE1 is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.