Full-Time

Mechanical Design Engineer

Posted on 9/2/2025

Tau

Tau

11-50 employees

Advanced electric propulsion systems with ML

Compensation Overview

$90k - $165k/yr

+ Bonus + Equity

San Carlos, CA, USA

In Person

Category
Mechanical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
CAD
GD&T
Injection Molding
Requirements
  • 1-3 years direct work experience in motor design, thermal management, OBC (Onboard Charging) in automotive and energy storage applications
  • Capacity to work independently, including start-to-finish ownership of hardware – from specification to design, prototype, reliability validation, and high-volume manufacturing
  • Strong 3D CAD skills, with proficiency in at least one professional 3D CAD package
  • Demonstrated understanding of GD&T
  • Experience with component design, analysis, and validation
  • Knowledge of manufacturing processes such as injection molding, sheet metal stamping, die casting, etc.
  • Great technical and interpersonal communication
  • Evidence of being a self-starter and bringing projects to completion
  • Proactive mindset, strong work ethic, and curious nature
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment
  • Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering or equivalent
Responsibilities
  • Design and build hardware systems for use in automotive and energy storage applications
  • Develop and optimize designs in 3D CAD software with associated CAE tools
  • Validate manufacturing, assembly, and service feasibility
  • Create designs interactively with the multidisciplinary team to incorporate technical and product engineering inputs into the design
  • Complete and release component designs and documentation, including 2D drawings
  • Integrate mechanical designs with high-voltage electrical systems in a multidisciplinary environment
  • Develop the design for failure modes and effects analysis (DFMEA) and Design Verification Plan (DVP)
  • Optimize mechanical designs for size, weight, durability, performance, manufacturability, and cost
  • Work with cross-functional teams to build and test designs
  • Participate in the sourcing process and manage engineering relationships with suppliers
  • Deliver to defined schedules
Desired Qualifications
  • Hands-on mechanical fabrication, prototyping, and test experience.
  • Master or Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering or a relevant field
  • Automotive powertrain experience-especially transmission and EV powertrain systems
  • Automotive experience or the equivalent in experience and evidence of exceptional ability
  • Knowledge of environmental, reliability, and safety requirements for Automotive, Industrial, & Residential applications
  • Previous direct involvement in product launch or manufacturing support for mass production.
  • Experience with electronic control systems

Tau Motors develops electrification and propulsion systems by combining scientific computing, machine learning, and multiphysics with hardware and software design. Its core products are Gamma, a motor platform that decreases reliance on rare earth materials while boosting performance and energy efficiency, and Helix, an integrated drive unit system. The company works with automakers, suppliers, defense, space, industrial, and other partners to deploy technology across many platforms and powertrains. Unlike many rivals, Tau Motors emphasizes collaborative development with industry partners and aims to deliver scalable, sustainable electric propulsion solutions through hardware licenses and software offerings. Its goal is to advance efficient, secure energy systems and accelerate the transition to sustainable electrification across multiple sectors.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$6.3M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2017

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • FORVIA HELLA partnership advances viOBC to 98% efficiency for 2027-2028 production.
  • Gamma eMachine showcased at Climate Week 2025 exceeds permanent magnet performance.
  • viOBC prototype passed testing, enabling vehicle-to-grid integration and scalability.

What critics are saying

  • FORVIA HELLA dominates viOBC production post-2027, sidelining Tau's revenue.
  • Turntide and Magnax surpass Gamma in torque density within 12-24 months.
  • BYD undercuts Helix with cheaper drive units in 6-12 months.

What makes Tau unique

  • Tau's Gamma motor eliminates rare earth magnets using software-defined optimization.
  • Tau's Ion platform delivers over 99% efficiency with modular auto converter modules.
  • Tau integrates scientific computing, machine learning, and multiphysics for propulsion.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Flexible Work Hours

Paid Holidays

Stock Options

Performance Bonus

Commuter Benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-2%

1 year growth

-2%

2 year growth

38%
Hagman Media
Sep 2nd, 2025
FORVIA HELLA, Tau Develop Advanced Chargers

International automotive supplier FORVIA HELLA is collaborating with Tau Motors, a leader in software-defined power conversion, in a strategic development partnership to create advanced charging solutions for electric vehicles.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 12th, 2023
Tau Motors Wins "Vehicle-To-Everything (V2X) Innovation Of The Year" In 2023 Autotech Breakthrough Awards Program

Annual Awards Program Recognizes Innovation in Automotive and Transportation Technologies Around the GlobeLOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoTech Breakthrough , a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global automotive and transportation technology markets announced that Tau Motors , an advanced technology company that develops next-generation products for electrification, wins this years’ “Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Innovation of the Year” award in the fourth annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards for its software-defined power converter system.Tau's Ion converter system is made up of next next-generation power electronics modules – called auto converter modules (ACMs) – that can be configured together like building blocks and resolve all power conversion challenges locally at the device level. Smart power conversion is critical to advance the world today. Fundamentally, electrification requires the need for power in different forms – whether alternating current (AC), direct current (DC), or different voltage or current levels. Tau’s Ion modules shrink the cost, size, and components required for power conversion which enables industry leading efficiencies, scalability, and power densities (processing more power per unit volume). Notably, the power density of Tau’s soft-switching Ion modules has continued to double approximately every two years while achieving particularly high efficiency – in excess of 99%.Tau’s Ion system includes adaptive smart filtering technology and advanced controls to enhance the reliability of power conversion systems – while also providing a software-defined, networked system that offers redundancy and reconfiguration through a hierarchical protocol that enables smart energy conversion

PR Newswire
Jul 13th, 2023
Tau Motors Named To Fast Company'S 2023 List Of The 100 Best Workplaces For Innovators And Earns Top Honors As The Winner Of The Small Companies (Under 100 Employees) Category

Joining Adobe, Spotify, Nvidia, Morgan Stanley, and many othersREDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tau Motors, an advanced technology company that develops next-generation products for electrification, was featured on Fast Company's fifth annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list. Honoring organizations and businesses that demonstrate an inspiring commitment to innovation at all levels, Tau was included at No. 51 overall and also topped the list as the winner of the Small Companies (Under 100 Employees) category.Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2023 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including entertainment, biotech, consumer packaged goods, education, healthcare, technology, and many more. Fast Company editors, Accenture researchers, and a panel of distinguished judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companies out of nearly 1,000 candidates. The 2023 awards feature workplaces from around the world with measurable, visible results in their efforts to cultivate internal innovation that creates external impact.Tau is leading groundbreaking work to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our generation. Tweet this"Alongside our partners, Tau is leading groundbreaking work to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our generation," says Wesley Pennington, Tau Founder and CEO

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