Role Overview

Instacart is seeking a Senior Product Design Engineer to lead the mechanical design, analysis, assembly, and long-term reliability of Caper hardware products. This role involves the full product development lifecycle, from concept to mass production, requiring close collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Define product requirements based on market and user needs to ensure designs meet market demands and improve user experience.
• Translate market and user needs into technical solutions and performance requirements, defining design specifications and technical standards.
• Lead the structural design of smart cart systems from concept through mass production, focusing on durability, ergonomics, DFM, and cost-efficiency.
• Execute rapid prototypes using 3D printing, CNC, and sheet metal to validate designs and accelerate iteration cycles.
• Collaborate with Product Management, Electrical Engineering, and Software teams to build and test prototypes.
• Conduct computer strength tests (FEA) and real-world tests (shaking, impact, load bearing) to validate designs and ensure compliance with regulations.

Requirements Snapshot

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of hands-on product design and development experience in high-volume consumer electronics.
• Proficiency in mechanical engineering fundamentals, prototyping, and 3D/2D drawing.
• Experience with testing and analysis (TA, DFMEA, Design of Experiments).
• Knowledge of material properties (plastics, metal, adhesive, glass) and high-volume manufacturing techniques.

Expected Impact

The Senior Product Design Engineer will be instrumental in shaping the physical form and ensuring the robustness and manufacturability of Instacart's Caper hardware products, directly impacting the user experience and the successful deployment of retail automation technology.

Why Apply

• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge retail automation technology with a pioneering company.
• Play a pivotal role in the end-to-end product development of innovative hardware solutions.
• Join a dynamic team at Instacart, a company transforming the grocery industry with significant market insights and resources.