Senior Design Engineer
Design
Schweinfurt, Germany
Overview
Design and develop high-quality, robust gearbox systems for SRAM eBike and bicycle drivetrain applications. As a key technical contributor in a small, fast-moving team, you will own gearbox design from concept through series release, combining deep gear-design expertise with a hands-on, self-driven approach to getting things done.
Responsibilities
- Own the design and development of gearbox solutions for eBike and bicycle drivetrain applications, including gear stages, shafts, bearings, freewheels, and housing interfaces.
- Evaluate and develop different gearbox concepts and select the best-fit solution based on package, efficiency, noise, weight, and cost targets.
- Perform gear and drivetrain calculations and optimization using KISSsoft/KISSsys, including load capacity, service life, micro-geometry, efficiency, and NVH.
- Define gearbox architecture and key design parameters in close alignment with system architects, motor, electronics, and software teams.
- Independently create and maintain 3D models and production-ready 2D drawings with complete GD&T and tolerance stack-ups.
- Plan and build prototypes and samples hands-on; support test bench setup, validation testing, and failure analysis.
- Work directly with gear suppliers and manufacturing partners on design for manufacturing, sampling, quality issues, and cost optimization.
- Mitigate technical risks through proactive design analysis, including FEA, DFMEA, and tolerance analysis.
- Drive problem resolution within the design team and at factories and suppliers.
- Effectively document design specifications using SRAM engineering best practices and standard documentation procedures.
- Provide input for the development of manufacturing processes, heat treatment, and inspection methods for gear components.
- Contribute to building up gearbox development methods, design guidelines, and tools within the team.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or an equivalent engineering discipline.
- Extensive, proven experience in gear and transmission design (typically 10+ years), ideally for e-mobility, automotive, industrial, or other high-volume applications.
- Expert-level proficiency in KISSsoft (KISSsys a plus) for gear and shaft calculation and optimization.
- In-depth knowledge of gear geometry, micro-geometry, gear load capacity, bearing selection, lubrication, and gear noise (NVH).
- Solid understanding of gear manufacturing processes such as hobbing, grinding, powder metallurgy, and injection-molded plastic gears, as well as related heat treatment processes.
- Extensive CAD experience required; Creo Parametric strongly desired.
- Experience applying engineering tools such as GD&T, FEA, FMEA, statistics, and tolerance analysis.
- Proven ability to work autonomously and self-structured in a small team without established processes; highly self-motivated with a strong hands-on mentality.
- Willingness to independently handle all aspects of the work, from concept and calculation to drawings, prototype builds, and supplier communication.
- Exceptional communication, teamwork, and relationship skills; fluent in English (German a plus).
- Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) experience, such as Windchill, a plus.
About SRAM
SRAM LLC is one of the world's largest suppliers of components to the bike industry. Established in Chicago in 1987, SRAM continues to promote cycling through its products, its advocacy, and its employees who are dedicated to improving the cycling experience. Today, SRAM employs more than 5,000+ employees, in 20+ locations, across 10+ countries. SRAM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.