Mechanical Engineer - Production Liaison

About the Company

GILLIG is the leading transit bus manufacturer in the United States, playing a critical role in environmental and social initiatives across the nation. As a pioneer in zero-emission vehicles, GILLIG is renowned for quality, reliability, durability, service, and support. Every GILLIG bus is designed and built in Livermore, CA.

• Leader in environmentally friendly mobility solutions including battery electric, hybrid electric, near-zero CNG, and clean diesel transit buses
• Inclusive, team/family-oriented culture
• Stable, successful, and growing organization with over 132 years in the Bay Area
• Flexible schedules (depending on project needs)
• Excellent compensation including company-paid medical premiums, generous retirement plan, and other comprehensive benefits

Department Overview

GILLIG Engineering develops, customizes, and configures clean technology heavy-duty transit buses. The department focuses on designing, analyzing, testing, launching, and problem-solving across various technical areas to produce reliable buses that connect communities and contribute to a greener environment.

Liaison Engineering bridges the gap between design and manufacturing teams, ensuring smooth and efficient production of high-quality transit buses. This cross-functional group supports current products, integrates new designs, and improves production processes, encompassing mechanical, electrical, vehicle controls, and industrial engineering, as well as production support technicians.

About the Role

As an Engineer in Liaison Engineering, you will provide technical support for transit bus assembly, optimizing parts and systems at the component level. You will collaborate with engineers, technicians, and other professionals to lead projects, mentor junior team members, and implement engineering solutions. This on-site position in Livermore, CA, reports to the Lead Mechanical Engineer of Production Liaison and may also receive guidance from senior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of engineering design principles and manufacturing processes to improve project outcomes through accurate and manufacturable designs
• Troubleshoot and resolve production issues to ensure consistent flow and high-quality outputs with minimal downtime
• Perform root cause analysis and resolve complex engineering challenges to support manufacturing of heavy-duty transit buses
• Apply lean manufacturing principles and process optimization to achieve better resource utilization and cost efficiency
• Utilize knowledge of quality assurance standards and practices to ensure compliance and high-quality production
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to achieve project milestones through improved communication
• Evaluate and address rapid requests from the supply chain to ensure timely responses
• Ensure manufacturability of designs, enhancing design feasibility and production efficiency
• Develop and improve production processes for efficient and reliable manufacturing
• Optimize manufacturing processes to enhance overall production performance
• Provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) input to design teams
• Prepare and maintain process documentation to support safety standards and compliance with regulations

Scope of the Role

• Autonomy: Work with minimal instruction on day-to-day tasks; receive general guidance on new assignments from senior engineers or manager
• Technically Minded: Apply industry practices and standards (NFPA, NEC, APTA, etc.) to resolve a variety of issues using design standards, best practices, and company procedures
• Time Management: Deliver projects on schedule and within budget; resolve production and manufacturing issues expeditiously
• Communication: Collaborate across the organization to resolve mutual problems; provide professional advice and create initial reports/analysis for review
• Complexity: Responsible for specific commodities or design elements; work on moderate to complex problems requiring analysis of various factors
• Quality & Standards: Ensure technical documentation is accurate and complete; released designs must be cost-effective, manufacturable, serviceable, and meet performance objectives and customer requirements

Requirements

• Bachelor or advanced degree in Engineering
• Minimum 2 years of experience in the Engineering industry
• Proficient mechanical troubleshooting and understanding of quality standards
• Hands-on experience with troubleshooting, product assembly, prototyping, testing, and validation activities
• Understanding of manufacturing processes and lean manufacturing principles
• Fluency in CAD software
• Familiarity with BOM structures
• Ability to create and understand mechanical drawings
• Experience designing components with a focus on Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Service (DFS), and cost-efficiency (Value Engineering)
• Experience working with component suppliers, engineering service suppliers, testing suppliers, and product validation engineers
• Familiarity with automotive, commercial, and/or heavy-duty vehicle design (direct experience is a plus)
• Effective collaboration with cross-functional teams

Work Environment

• Ability to lift 25 lbs
• Prolonged periods of sitting, standing, and working at a desk; occasional kneeling or squatting
• Must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation
• Limited travel may be required
• Must be comfortable navigating a manufacturing environment with heavy machinery and tools
• Must be able to wear Personal Protective Equipment (e.g., safety glasses, bump caps, hearing protection)
• Standard start time is 6:00 AM (negotiable)

Pay

Expected compensation: $75,000 - $130,000 annual salary plus premium benefits. Pay may vary based on market location, job classification, knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional elements of the compensation package may be offered depending on the position.