Battery Engineer Jobs in Champaign, IL (NOW HIRING)

At Horizon Hobby, we inspire dreams and help build memories! Our company is the leader in the global Radio Control industry, celebrating 40 years in 2025! We offer tremendous opportunities for growth and development and a full array of benefits including discounts on our products! We are currently hiring for a Mechanical Design Engineer!

This is a full-time, on-site position at our either our Champaign IL or Rancho Cucamonga CA location. Working hours are Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.

This Mechanical Design Engineer role is specifically for our Spektrum Battery Ecosystem. This role is responsible for executing mechanical design activities for Spektrum batteries, chargers, connectors, and related accessories. This role develops and maintains 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, BOMs, and product documentation while ensuring consistent design language, fit, function, and manufacturability across the Spektrum power ecosystem.

This individual will work closely with cross-functional teams to convert product requirements into detailed designs, support prototype and production builds, manage engineering changes, and maintain design integrity throughout the product lifecycle. The ideal candidate will place a strong emphasis on CAD excellence, configuration management, design standardization, and continuous improvement across existing and future product lines.

• Create andmaintain3D CAD models, assemblies, and detailed engineering drawings for battery packs, chargers, connectors, power accessories, and related products.
• Develop production-ready designs that meet performance, cost, manufacturability, and reliability requirements.
• Design plastic, metal, and electromechanical components for injection molding, stamping, machining, and assembly processes.
• Support concept development, prototyping, design reviews, and validation activities throughout the product lifecycle.
• Perform tolerance analysis, fit checks, interference analysis, and design-for-manufacturing (DFM) evaluations.

• Establish andmaintainconsistent design standards,componentarchitectures, and mechanical interfaces across the Spektrum battery ecosystem.
• Ensure compatibility between batteries, chargers, connectors, mounts, and supporting accessories.
• Maintain common design practices, CAD standards, and documentation procedures across multiple product families.
• Drive reuse of proven designs, components, and assemblies whereappropriate to improve efficiency and reduce development costs.

• Create andmaintain engineering drawings, specifications, bills of materials (BOMs), assembly documentation, and product records.
• Manage CAD data, revisions, and engineering change orders (ECOs) within PDM systems.
• Ensure documentation packages areaccurate, complete, and released according to company procedures.
• Support supplier and manufacturing documentation requirements.

• Collaborate with Product Development, Electrical Engineering, Sourcing, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to execute product development plans.
• Support prototype builds, testing activities, and validation efforts.
• Work with suppliers to resolve design, tooling, manufacturing, and quality issues.
• Incorporate test results, supplier feedback, and manufacturing learnings into design improvements.

• Maintain and improve existing products through cost reductions, quality improvements, and engineering changes.
• Investigate root causes of product issues and develop corrective design solutions.
• Support transition of products from concept through production and ongoing lifecycle management.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, or related engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in mechanical product design and development.
• Proficiencyin SolidWorks including part modeling, assemblies, surfacing, sheet metal, drawings, and design tables.
• Experience with Product Data Management (PDM) systems, revision control, and engineering change processes.
• Experience creating detailed engineering drawings compliant with GD&T and industry drafting standards.
• Knowledge of tolerance stack-up analysis and design-for-manufacturing (DFM) principles.
• Ability to develop andmaintainbills of materials, product specifications, and engineering documentation.

• Experience designing battery packs, chargers, power systems, connectors, or consumer electronics products.
• Experience with lithium battery packaging, enclosure design, thermal considerations, and mechanical integration.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes including injection molding, machining, stamping, die casting, and assembly methods.
• Familiarity with electrical components and electromechanical product development.
• Experience working directly with domestic and overseas manufacturing partners.
• Knowledge of UL, CE, RoHS, UN38.3, and battery-related compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting products through manufacturing, launch and sustaining engineering activities.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills. Proficiencywith Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience in the radio-control hobby industry, consumer electronics, power tools, robotics, or outdoor power equipment industries.
• Clear communication of technical ideas
• Attention to detail in both hardware and software
• Enthusiasm for RC modelsand/orhobby electronics
• Collaborative,hands ‑ onapproach to engineering

• Occasional lifting of office supplies and materials, up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working on a computer.

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

• HSA and FSA options
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance and Supplemental Life Insurance
• 401(k) with a company match
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Internal Rewards
• Discounts on Products
• Additional Coverage such as accident, critical, hospital and pet insurance

Horizon Hobby is a progressive, innovative company and, as such, is constantly reevaluating and reinventing the processes and procedures associated with each job. The essential duties and responsibilities of this position may change at any time. In addition, employees may be asked to work on special projects or to assist with other work necessary or important to the operation of Horizon. Your cooperation and assistance in performing such additional work is expected and appreciated.

Horizon Hobby, LLC is an equal opportunity and E-Verify employer

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.