Senior Design Engineer - Modular Housing
About Us
Reframe Systems is on a mission to build net-zero carbon housing for all, at massive scale. To achieve our mission, we need to make net-zero carbon housing more affordable and we are re-imagining how housing is designed and built. Our volumetric module platform and highly-automated production system will drive down cost, delivery time, and embodied carbon for multifamily housing. We are setting up our first digital factory in the greater Boston area (Andover, MA), and have a roadmap to scale our presence nationally. We are disrupting assembly line manufacturing for housing production and are backed by leading VC firms in the industrial and construction space.
What We're Looking For
We are seeking a highly talented, detail-oriented, and experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to join our dynamic and multidisciplinary AEC team. This role is crucial for transforming the traditional design process by developing and implementing advanced parameterized designs and automated design logic for residential and low-rise multi-family buildings.
The right candidate will serve as a technical leader, bridging the gap between design ideation and final fabrication. You will leverage deep expertise in parametric CAD and scripting to create designs that are far more detailed than traditional AEC workflows, generate manufacturing-ready assets, and ultimately drive efficiency and precision across our product line. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment and be comfortable owning the end-to-end design to manufacturing process.
The position reports to the Design Engineering Team Lead. The position is full-time, salaried, exempt and in-person.
Key Responsibilities
As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will be responsible for the following areas, with an emphasis on automation and process improvement:
Expert CAD Modeling and Detailing: Serve as the technical authority for creating detailed and parametrized CAD models using Onshape. Collaborate with the architecture and manufacturing teams to convert high-level concepts into robust, fabrication-ready digital models with a high level of accuracy and a deep understanding of tolerance stackup.
Advanced CAD version Management: Establish, organize, and maintain best practices for 3D model management, file structure, documentation and revision control, ensuring models are seamlessly integrated into the fabrication pipeline.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as a critical technical interface, collaborating effectively with manufacturing, operations, architecture, and software teams to resolve design challenges and meet critical product development deadlines.
Conceptualization & Ideation: Lead the generation of mechanical concepts, feasibility studies for standardized and parametric assemblies, and initial architecture development based on product requirements, collaborating closely with product management and industrial design teams.
Prototyping & Testing: Design, build, and iterate on functional prototypes; develop and execute rigorous testing plans (e.g., DVT - Design Verification Testing) to validate mechanical performance, durability, and compliance with specifications.
Outcomes
Developed parametric subassemblies that can be re-used across multiple projects.
Demonstrated reduction in modeling cost/sqft for new projects and cost/sqft for modifications to existing products.
Elevated design quality assurance by establishing clear modeling best practices and implementing a structured, targeted design review protocol. This ensured reviewers focused on high-value, critical aspects, leading to faster approvals and fewer iterative cycles.
Required Qualifications
5+ years of progressive experience as a Mechanical Engineer or a similar role focused on detailed product design, preferably within the AEC, high-tech manufacturing, or related construction industries.
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Architecture or a closely related technical field.
Expert-level proficiency in a major parametric CAD system (e.g., Onshape, SolidWorks, CATIA).
Demonstrated experience with the management of large-scale, complex 3D assemblies and data management.
Proven ability to proactively identify, diagnose, and solve complex, multidisciplinary engineering problems.
Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate, precise, and manufacturing-ready models and documentation.
Ability to mentor junior team members on best practices in modeling and documentation.
Preferred Qualifications
Direct experience developing design automation and scripting capabilities (e.g. FeatureScript, Python, visual programming like Grasshopper/Dynamo).
Familiarity with the challenges and workflows associated with modular construction or off-site manufacturing.
Proficiency in additional software packages such as Autodesk Inventor and/or BIM platforms like Revit.
Knowledge in structural, MEPF and other building systems, ensuring strict compliance with all relevant building codes and regulations.
Please include a portfolio of works highlighting key CAD projects.