Design Release Engineer, Frame

About this role

About Harbinger

Harbinger is an American commercial electric vehicle (EV) company on a mission to transform an industry starving for innovation. Harbinger’s best-in-class team of EV, battery, and drivetrain experts have pooled their deep experience to bring a first-of-its-kind EV platform to support the growing demand for medium-duty EVs and Hybrids. Harbinger: Familiar Form, Revolutionary Foundation.

Design Release Engineer, Frame

Garden Grove, CA

About Harbinger

Harbinger is an American commercial electric vehicle (EV) company on a mission to transform an industry starving for innovation. Harbinger’s best-in-class team of EV, battery, and drivetrain experts have pooled their deep experience to bring a first-of-its-kind EV platform to support the growing demand for medium-duty EVs and Hybrids. Harbinger: Familiar Form, Revolutionary Foundation.

Design Release Engineer, Frame

What You'll Do

• Structural Design & Packaging Ownership: Lead the 3D CAD modeling, packaging, and integration of frame structures (frame rails, crossmembers, mounting brackets, subframes, and bumper assemblies). Ensure optimal structural stiffness, mass efficiency, and packaging clearance for high-voltage battery packs, e-axles, and commercial payloads.

• Supplier & Manufacturing Management: Act as the primary technical point of contact for frame component, stamping, forgings, and weldment suppliers. Evaluate supplier manufacturing capabilities, guide them through DFM (Design for Manufacturing) challenges, and ensure all chassis hardware meets strict automotive quality, structural, and corrosion standards.

• Engineering Release Ownership: Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of frame hardware. Responsible for creating, tracking, and executing Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) and Engineering Change Requests (ECRs), while maintaining complex mechanical Bills of Materials (BOM) within our PLM system.

• Validation & Durability Support: Work closely with CAE/FEA and physical validation teams to review structural analysis and support chassis durability testing (rig testing, track testing, and safety evaluations). Proactively address field or test failures with root-cause analysis and quick design updates.

• Project Timeline Execution: Develop and drive aggressive, realistic project schedules for long-lead structural tooling (stamping dies, extrusions, weld fixtures). Identify critical path risks, mitigate lead-time delays, and ensure hardware delivers on time to support prototype builds, mule testing, and start of production (SOP).

• Internal Design Collaboration: Lead cross-functional design reviews with High/Low Voltage Systems, Powertrain, Thermal, and Manufacturing Engineering to ensure seamless chassis integration and optimized assembly ergonomics.

What You'll Need (Qualifications)

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related technical field.

• Experience: 3+ years of experience in structural, chassis, or frame engineering design within the automotive, commercial vehicle, or aerospace industries.

• Software Proficiency: Strong working knowledge of CATIA V5/V6 and PLM/BOM management tools (e.g., Teamcenter, Enovia, Arena, or similar).

• Technical Acumen: Solid understanding of structural mechanics, materials (high-strength steel, aluminum), GD&T (ASME Y14.5), and automotive manufacturing processes (stampings, extrusions, castings, MIG/laser welding, structural riveting, and e-coat/paint processes).

• Project Management Skills: Proven ability to manage complex Tier-1 and Tier-2 supplier relationships simultaneously, with a track record of holding vendors accountable to tight prototype and tooling timelines.

• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, capable of translating technical trade-offs between cross-functional engineering teams, executive leadership, and shop-floor technicians.

Bonus Points If You Have:

• Prior experience with commercial vehicles (Class 3–6 truck chassis), cab-chassis platforms, or body-on-frame architectures.

• Prior experience working in a fast-paced, early-stage electric vehicle or mobility startup environment.

• Prior experience engineering tactical, defense, or specialized off-highway ground vehicles (e.g., JLTV, FMTV, UGVs, or military prototype platforms).

• Experience with electro-mechanical actuators, power-assisted hinges/ramps, or quick-disconnect mounting systems.

Key Benefits & Perks:

• Comprehensive Health, Dental & Vision (HDV) – 100% employee covered

• Early-stage Stock Options

• Robust Retirement Savings (401k, HSA, FSA)

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) & Parental Leave

• Annual Vacation Bonus

• Wellness & Fertility Benefits

• Cell Phone Stipend

• Complimentary Meals & Stocked Kitchens

California Pay Range $140,000 — $160,000 USD

Equal Opportunity

Harbinger is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Harbinger is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at info@harbingermotors.com.

Candidate Data Privacy

Harbinger may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes

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