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Principal Vehicle Dynamics Engineer
Harbinger
Garden Grove, CA, USA
Posted on Apr 2, 2025
About Harbinger
Harbinger Motors Inc. is a Southern California-based electric vehicle manufacturer on a mission to transform the automotive and transportation industries, bringing to market EVs developed from the ground up to address the needs of the Medium Duty vehicle industry. This broad, and to date poorly addressed, market segment includes class 4 to 7 commercial delivery vehicles, RVs and utility vehicles, among others. Leveraging a foundation of proprietary, in-house developed vehicle technologies, Harbinger's first-of-its-kind EV platform will bring enhancements in vehicle performance, durability and operator comfort. And importantly, Harbinger's vehicles will be priced for zero acquisition premium relative to traditional gas- and diesel-based competitors, removing one of the most tenacious barriers to EV adoption.
Harbinger's team, with operations in Southern California and Michigan, includes industry veterans with expertise in powertrain, battery, chassis and software development, along with leaders in advanced manufacturing, corporate development, operations and finance. Our team members come from leading innovators, both in and out of the automotive industry, including Tesla, Rivian, Canoo, Ford, Anduril, and SpaceX.
Founded in 2021, Harbinger is a venture-backed startup on a rapid growth trajectory, looking for candidates that thrive on tackling complex challenges and who share in our passion to bring clean transportation alternatives to a segment of the market starving for innovation.
Job Overview
As the Principal Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, you will be a key technical leader within the Vehicle Engineering team, driving the vehicle development, tuning of the chassis systems and validation of the vehicle performance. You will work cross-functionally with systems engineering, body, chassis, powertrain, thermal, and electrical teams to deliver a world-class electric vehicle platform that embodies our core principles of performance, safety, and user experience.
This is a highly strategic, hands-on role where your deep technical knowledge will influence critical decisions shaping our vehicle programs.
What You’ll Do:
- Serve as the technical lead for vehicle development of the chassis systems.
- Benchmark the performance of other medium duty strip chassis.
- Own and drive resolution of complex engineering challenges spanning multiple systems and disciplines.
- Define and validate vehicle-level requirements and specifications, NVH, thermal management, and driving dynamics.
- Collaborate with design, manufacturing, supply chain, and regulatory teams to ensure engineering solutions meet all cross-functional requirements.
- Oversee system integration testing, vehicle development builds, and validation campaigns from prototype through production.
- Mentor junior engineers and contribute to building a high-performing, collaborative engineering culture.
- Stay abreast of emerging vehicle technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes to inform future programs.
Who You Are:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related field.
- 10+ years of experience in vehicle engineering, preferably with electric vehicles or advanced automotive platforms.
- Deep understanding of full-vehicle dynamics.
- Proven track record of delivering complex vehicle programs from concept to production.
- Expertise in CAD tools (CATIA, NX, or equivalent) and vehicle performance simulation tools.
- Strong knowledge of safety, regulatory, and homologation requirements in the automotive industry.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Passion for sustainable mobility and pushing the boundaries of EV technology.
Rev up your career with our electrifying compensation and benefits package! At Harbinger Motors, we understand that your skills, experience, and expertise are as unique as our cutting-edge electric vehicles. That's why we tailor our offers to suit your individual profile, considering your years of experience, specialized knowledge, and market demands.
In addition to a competitive base salary, our perks charge ahead of the competition:
- 100% Comprehensive Health Coverage: You are covered with top-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- Accelerate Your Wealth: As an early stage employee, you'll have the opportunity to rev up your financial future with early-stage stock options.
- Unleash Your Time: Take control of your work-life balance. Salaried teammates receive flexible PTO and the freedom to celebrate holidays and wellness days as you see fit.
- Cruise into Vacations: Enjoy an exciting annual vacation stipend to help you recharge your batteries.
- Fuel Your Day: Forget brown bag lunches; we've got you covered with paid lunches and dinners to keep you energized.
These are just a few of our benefits and perks, as we're constantly adjusting and adding more benefits to best serve our teammates. At Harbinger Motors, we don't just offer jobs; we provide the fuel for your career journey. Join us in shaping the future of sustainable transportation, where your hard work and dedication are always rewarded.
Get ready to drive your career forward with us!
California Pay Range
$140,000—$180,000 USD
Equal Opportunity
Harbinger is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Harbinger is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at info@harbingermotors.com.
Candidate Data Privacy
Harbinger may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Harbinger may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.
Harbinger may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our HR, legal, and finance teams, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Harbinger affiliates; and (iii) Harbinger’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.
Harbinger may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.
Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services. Any unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles submitted in response to our job posting shall be considered the property of Harbinger and are not subject to payment of referral or placement fees if any such candidate is later hired by Harbinger unless you have a signed written agreement in place with us which covers the applicable job posting.