Engineering / R&D Lead

About NXTDRV EV (PTY) LTD

NXTDRV EV (PTY) LTD is an emerging South African electric-vehicle company focused on developing and establishing an EV manufacturing and technology platform in South Africa.

Our vision is to contribute to the future of sustainable mobility through locally developed and manufactured electric vehicles, supported by engineering, innovation, advanced manufacturing, skills development and strategic partnerships.

As we build our technical and operational capabilities, we are looking for talented professionals who are ready to contribute to a high-growth automotive and EV environment.

Role Description

We are seeking an experienced Engineering / R&D Lead to provide technical leadership across vehicle engineering, research and development, product development and manufacturing engineering.

The successful candidate will play a key role in transforming vehicle concepts and engineering requirements into practical, manufacturable, reliable and commercially viable electric vehicles.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead engineering and R&D activities across the EV programme.
• Coordinate mechanical, electrical, electronic and mechatronic engineering activities.
• Support vehicle design, development and production-readiness.
• Lead technical reviews, engineering changes and design-validation activities.
• Develop and maintain engineering specifications and technical documentation.
• Work closely with suppliers on components, tooling and manufacturing equipment.
• Support prototype development, testing and validation.
• Improve vehicle manufacturability, reliability, performance and quality.
• Collaborate with Quality, BIW, Battery/Powertrain, Automation and other technical teams.
• Support technical requirements associated with vehicle regulatory approval and homologation.
• Identify opportunities for engineering innovation and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Degree or diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronic, Automotive or related Engineering.
• 8+ years' relevant engineering experience.
• Experience in automotive, EV, manufacturing or product development.
• Strong technical problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications and engineering documentation.
• Strong project-management and communication skills.

Advantageous

• Electric-vehicle development experience.
• Automotive OEM or Tier-1 supplier experience.
• Experience with vehicle testing and validation.
• Knowledge of APQP, PPAP and PFMEA.
• CAD and engineering-design experience.
• Experience working with international automotive suppliers.
• Knowledge of vehicle homologation and regulatory requirements.

Applications: [email protected]
Subject: Engineering / R&D Lead Application

Pay: From R300,00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Ability to commute/relocate:

• South Africa: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Education:

• Bachelors (Required)

Experience:

• Automotive engineering: 8 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

License/Certification:

• drivers license (Required)

Location:

• South Africa (Required)

Work Location: In person