Senior Engineer – Prototype Development (Weld & Paint Engineering)

We are seeking a passionate and highly motivated Senior Engineer to join our Weld and Paint Engineering team within the Vehicle Prototype Development organization. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of vehicle development, helping transform early concepts into fully functional prototype vehicles.

Reporting to the Prototype Development Senior Engineering Manager, this role will lead tooling preparation, process planning, and supplier coordination during prototype builds to ensure high-quality and on-time vehicle delivery. The position combines hands-on engineering, project leadership, and cross-functional collaboration across manufacturing, design, and supplier teams.

This is an exciting opportunity for an engineer who enjoys solving complex problems, driving technical excellence, and contributing directly to the development of next-generation vehicles.

What You’ll Do

The work in this role follows the lifecycle of vehicle prototype development, from early planning through full build execution. Responsibilities will evolve throughout the project as builds progress.

• Develop early process strategies and targets based on key project requirements
• Plan in-house manufacturing processes with focus on safety, quality, productivity, and cost
• Lead process planning and tooling preparation for prototype welding and paint operations
• Develop and maintain detailed Operation Plans (OP) covering in-house processes, tooling, and vendor activities
• Coordinate with project teams to ensure alignment on deliverables, timelines, and technical requirements
• Track and manage tooling, process readiness, and supplier performance to meet project milestones
• Participate in project meetings and collaborate on technical problem solving and countermeasures
• Provide weekly status reporting to leadership on build progress and readiness
• Work closely with prototype suppliers to support part reviews, fixture approvals, and build readiness meetings
• Issue and manage specifications for in-house tooling and equipment
• Perform offline robot programming to support weld process development
• Lead cross-functional meetings with internal teams to monitor prototype vehicle build progress
• Travel to supplier locations to review parts prior to shipment and ensure quality standards
• Identify, track, and resolve manufacturing and quality issues during prototype builds
• Support measurement and adjustment of in-house tooling and welded subassemblies
• Coordinate activities across overlapping project phases, requiring strong multitasking and prioritization
• Support prototype build activities both at supplier facilities and internal weld and paint lines

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Weld Engineering, or related field
• 4+ years of experience supporting vehicle programs in manufacturing, production engineering, product development, design, or quality engineering
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams
• Deep understanding of tooling design and manufacturing, as well as weld and paint process planning
• Strong knowledge of vehicle body structure, body shell manufacturing, welding, and paint processes
• Experience with body accuracy measurement, model setup, fixtures, and part scanning technologies
• Proficiency with 3D CAD (CATIA) and offline robot programming (CATIA / CARROT)
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills for working with global engineering teams and suppliers
• Ability and willingness to mentor junior engineers and co-op students
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 20%
• Ability to support critical build events, including overtime and occasional weekend work

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in additional engineering disciplines such as design, procurement, quality, or manufacturing engineering
• Master’s degree in Engineering
• Experience using PolyWorks measurement software
• Experience with Laser Screw Welding (LSW) or Self-Piercing Rivets (SPR)
• Experience managing 3D engineering data and digital model coordination
• Experience supporting weld or paint equipment installation and commissioning
• Additional advanced technical training or engineering development certifications

This role offers the chance to work on cutting-edge vehicle development programs, collaborate with highly skilled engineers, and make a direct impact on prototype vehicle builds that shape future production vehicles.

If you are passionate about manufacturing innovation, process development, and hands-on engineering, this is an excellent opportunity to grow your career in advanced vehicle engineering.

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Company Overview
Adapt Technology is a US-based engineering and staffing company specializing in innovative design, prototyping, and manufacturing solutions across diverse industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and defense. Our in-house capabilities enable us to deliver tailored, high-quality results from concept to production, ensuring client success at every stage.

Pay: $42.00 - $50.00 per hour

Expected hours: No less than 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Will you now or in the future require VISA sponsorship?
• Are you willing to work overtime up to 25% of the time, including weekends?
• Describe your role in a vehicle prototype build involving weld or paint processes. What were the biggest challenges and how did you resolve them?

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• working with vehicle body welding processes: 4 years (Preferred)
• planning weld or paint manufacturing processes: 4 years (Preferred)
• creating tooling or fixtures for body assembly: 3 years (Preferred)
• using CATIA for automotive body development: 3 years (Preferred)
• performing robot offline programming (CATIA): 2 years (Preferred)
• supporting prototype vehicle builds: 3 years (Preferred)
• managing tooling or manufacturing suppliers: 3 years (Preferred)
• working with body measurement or scanning tools: 2 years (Preferred)
• resolving manufacturing quality issues: 3 years (Preferred)

Willingness to travel:

• 25% (Required)

Work Location: In person