Mechanical Design Engineer

What to Expect We build electric motorcycles. The engineering underneath them needs to be as deliberate, reliable, and honest as the ride itself — and this role is central to making that true. The Mechanical Design Engineer IV is an autonomous technical contributor and practitioner who drives component and system-level development without requiring design guidance or mentoring. Operating from Zero's Netherlands office, this engineer leads mechanical design work across powertrain enclosures, high-voltage (HV) battery pack mechanical systems, vehicle structures, and cross-functional system integration — collaborating directly with programme management, industrial design, supply chain, and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) partners. At this level, the engineer is a practitioner others learn from: technically deep, methodical in decision-making, and highly effective at translating system requirements into production-ready hardware. Key Responsibilities Technical Leadership & Design Ownership • Leads design and development of complex motorcycle components and systems — including structural frames, battery enclosures, IP-rated sealing systems, and powertrain integration — through all programme phases (concept, F&D (Feasibility and Definition), D&R (Durability and Refinement), VAL (Validation), FPCS (First Production Conforming Sample)) • Owns the full technical definition of assigned line items: 3D CAD master models, GD&T drawings, DFM/DFA analysis, DFMEA facilitation, DVP&R (Design Verification Plan and Report) planning, and production release in SAP ECTR • Drives design decisions independently using sound engineering judgement; communicates trade-offs and recommendations clearly to programme leads and management • Leads design reviews at key programme gates; prepares and presents technically rigorous review packages, incorporating cross-functional feedback effectively • Identifies and resolves critical path risks in design and integration; escalates unresolvable conflicts with full technical framing Battery Pack & High-Voltage Mechanical Integration • Leads mechanical design of HV battery pack structural and sealing systems, including enclosure design, thermal interface material (TIM) specification, module retention, and bus bar / interconnect packaging • Defines mechanical interface requirements between the pack and vehicle structure, BMS (Battery Management System) electronics, cooling circuits, and regulatory compliance hardware • Applies knowledge of UN 38.3 (transport testing), IEC 62619 (safety requirements for stationary and traction batteries), and relevant homologation standards (EU Type Approval, AIS-156 for India-market programmes where applicable) to design decisions • Owns DFM/DFA review for battery pack assemblies; coordinates PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) readiness activities with supply chain and manufacturing engineering Vehicle Systems & Integration • Collaborates at vehicle architecture level with programme CPL (Chief Platform Lead), ID (Industrial Design), powertrain, and electrical teams to resolve packaging conflicts and meet system-level requirements • Owns or contributes to major structural design (frame interfaces, swingarm, headlight structure, tail section) and dynamic structure design (impact load paths) • Applies simulation tools — FEA (Altair HyperWorks or equivalent), CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), thermal analysis — to validate design decisions before physical builds; interprets and acts on analysis results independently • Specifies and approves assembly and service procedures for assigned systems Programme Execution & Cross-Functional Collaboration • Provides input to programme schedules and cost targets; holds own due dates and understands downstream impact of sche