Job Description

Company Overview

Kindred Motorworks is a team of technicians, engineers, designers, marketers, veterans, athletes, students, and lifelong car enthusiasts—all united by a love for craftsmanship and motion. We’re just as drawn to the scent of gasoline as we are to the instant torque of electric power. Every curve of chrome, stitch of leather, and hum of an engine reminds us that cars are more than machines—they’re art in motion. We believe vintage cars belong on the road, not in a museum, and that technology can make restoration smarter, safer, and more sustainable. Our team exists to keep the soul of classic driving alive—one beautifully reimagined vehicle at a time.

We strive to create a meaningful workplace at Kindred, which means something different for each of our team members. For some, it’s getting these immortal vehicles on the road. For many at Kindred, it’s the inclusive culture and diverse work environment we’ve created. Our cars create joyful experiences for our customers and immense pride for our team. If you can match our passion, values, and work ethic, we want you!

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vehicle Development Manager, the Vehicle Development Associate brings concepts to reality by building prototype vehicles and advancing them to production. This individual partners with designers, engineers, and technical experts to build, evaluate, and refine vehicle systems for their safety, functionality, and production viability.

From the initial teardown of a new model donor vehicle, the Vehicle Development Associate brings a neat and organized approach, documenting and cataloging components to assist in building out BOM’s and identifying potential points of contention.

During the development process, the Vehicle Development Associate is called upon for their technical expertise in automotive repair, restoration, and modification to not only assemble prototypes, but also to provide solution-oriented feedback during design reviews and assist with work instruction authoring.

As vehicles mature to production release, the Vehicle Development Associate supports the transition by validating work instructions and mentoring and training technicians with key knowledge gained during prototype builds.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Partner with stakeholders across the Vehicle Development organization to build prototype vehicles
• Provide feedback during design reviews with an emphasis on DFMA, production viability, & serviceability
• Provide guidance on part selection during the teardown and assembly process
• Provide vendor preference feedback based on assessed part quality
• Assist in validating vehicle systems by executing against test criteria
• Perform vehicle diagnostics, RCA’s, & repairs, providing guidance and recommendations with production-grade solutions
• Work with members of the Vehicle Development and Engineering teams to design and fabricate new parts or make part improvements
• Partner with members from the Process Engineering team to document and refine production processes & work instructions during development
• Mentor and train production technicians during SOP to ensure a clean production hand-over
• Maintain a safe, clean, and efficient working environment

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• 4 to 8 years of hands-on, technical experience in automotive repair, restoration, or similar
• Experience in all aspects of a ground up automotive rebuild or restoration
• Strong mechanical aptitude
• Experience working as part of cross-functional teams solving complex problems
• Demonstrated history of outstanding attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Ability to plan, delegate and complete work in a safe, timely, and accurate manner
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Professional demeanor and the ability to maintain constructive working relationships
• Adaptability, initiative, and resilience; ability to work in a dynamic work environment
• Passion for automotive restoration and modification
• Must be comfortable using technology
• Fabrication skills
• Valid driver's license in good standing

Desired Skills

• ASE Certification
• MIG and TIG welding certification
• Automotive harness diagnostic experience
• Electric vehicle conversion experience
• CNC and/or traditional machining experience
• Experience with software tools such as CAD (Onshape), PLM (Arena), & Jira

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

Walking, sitting, standing, bending and stooping. Lifting, carrying or pushing/pulling supplies, materials, equipment and/or items weighing up to 75 pounds. Clean and well-organized unconditioned shop environment. The work environment may include exposure to noise, fumes, and heat. Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times in accordance with safety regulations.

Note

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.

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