Manager, Product Design Engineering

Location: Los Angeles, Canada | Palo Alto, Canada

Department: Spectacles

Employment Type: Full time

About Snap Inc

Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.

About the Role

Snap Inc is a camera company that believes AR innovation through Spectacles will redefine how people live, connect, and create in the real world. Our fifth-generation Spectacles, powered by Snap OS, blend standalone see-through AR with Snapchat's creative ecosystem to enhance play, learning, and work. Join our Spectacles team as a Manager, Product Design Engineering, and lead the mechanical design of next-gen AR glasses that push the boundaries of camera technology and augmented reality. In this role, you'll champion Snap's creative culture by mentoring engineers, driving innovative designs, and collaborating across teams to ship products that empower authentic expression and real-world connection. You'll lead a talented team of mechanical product design engineers, providing technical guidance on everything from tolerancing and DFM to sub-system integration for AR hardware. Partner with Industrial Design, Product, Engineering, and Operations to navigate complex trade-offs, ensuring high-quality, scalable designs that align with Snap's vision for immersive experiences. From concept to production with overseas partners, you'll oversee technical reviews, failure analysis, and best practices to accelerate development while fostering a collaborative, innovative environment. Key to success is your expertise in consumer electronics, CAD proficiency, and ability to communicate ideas clearly to leadership. With up to 20% international travel, you'll support builds at suppliers, embodying our 'Default Together' policy of 4+ days weekly in-office to build culture and drive dynamic collaboration. Snap values diverse backgrounds to fuel AR innovation—apply your 11+ years of experience to help shape the future of Spectacles.

What You'll Do

• Lead a project team of mechanical product design engineers developing next-generation AR glasses and experiences for Spectacles
• People manage a team of engineers in varying career stages, providing technical support and career growth opportunities
• Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders in Engineering, Operations, Industrial Design, and Product to ensure timely deliverables across multi-phase programs
• Collaborate cross-functionally to perform complex design trade-off analysis and inform high-quality decision-making at the product level
• Provide support and guidance to ensure on-time execution of deliverables, with occasional direct ownership as needed
• Guide team members through product development considerations including tolerancing, datum selection, manufacturing, assembly, and validation
• Conduct failure analysis and implement corrective actions for design improvements
• Supervise mechanical design and integration of sub-systems and lead technical design reviews
• Partner with contract manufacturers and vendors from concept to production to deliver scalable designs
• Develop and model best practices for product development, engineering processes, and documentation to improve team effectiveness
• Travel internationally up to 20% to support development builds onsite at external suppliers and partners

Minimum Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, or related field
• 11+ years of product design, mechanical engineering, or relevant experience
• 3+ years of hands-on engineering management and design leadership experience
• Expert level proficiency in 3D CAD and 2D documentation
• Strong engineering fundamentals, including wide knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods
• Technical background in product design, mechanical architecture, tolerance analysis, design for manufacturing, and structural analysis
• Experience with designing plastic/metal components, printed circuit boards, and flexible printed circuits

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• 7+ years in consumer electronics working with overseas manufacturing partners
• Experience with NX CAD software
• Demonstrated experience developing and shipping consumer electronic products at scale
• Demonstrated experience leveraging simulation to accelerate product development
• Excellent process development and documentation skills

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong engineering fundamentals in materials and manufacturing methods
• Expert proficiency in 3D CAD (e.g., NX) and 2D documentation
• Product design and mechanical architecture
• Tolerance analysis and design for manufacturing (DFM)
• Structural analysis and simulation
• Designing plastic/metal components
• Printed circuit boards (PCB) and flexible printed circuits (FPC) integration
• Failure analysis and corrective action implementation
• Cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, ID, and Product teams
• Technical leadership and people management
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
• Ability to articulate ideas to peers and leadership
• Process development and documentation
• Vendor and contract manufacturer management
• International travel and onsite supplier support
• AR hardware development experience

Our Benefits

• Paid parental leave
• Comprehensive medical coverage
• Emotional and mental health support programs
• Compensation packages with equity in the form of RSUs
• Competitive base salary based on pay zones (Zone A: $229,000-$343,000; Zone B: $218,000-$326,000; Zone C: $195,000-$292,000)
• "Default Together" policy with 4+ days per week in-office collaboration
• Opportunities to share in Snap’s long-term success
• Support for disabilities or special needs requiring accommodation

Compensation

$229,000-$343,000 annually

This position is eligible for equity in the form of RSUs.

"Default Together" Policy: At Snap Inc, we practice a "default together" approach and expect team members to work in an office 4+ days per week.

Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.