Prototype Vehicle Development Engineer

The Prototype Vehicle Development Engineer is responsible for the build, maintenance, readiness, and operational deployment of ELM’s prototype vehicle fleet. You will ensure vehicles are safe, functional, and representative for engineering development, physical DVP, marketing demonstrations, and external test events. You will support hands on updates, repairs, instrumentation fitment, and pre event preparation, operate vehicles during development tests, and coordinate workshop operations.
Working cross functionally, you will help ensure prototype vehicles integrate cleanly across mechanical, electrical, powertrain, and software domains, enabling rapid iteration and high quality development outcomes.

ELM is an early stage, fast moving startup, and this role requires someone who is comfortable operating with broad responsibilities and adapting as the business grows. You will often work outside strict functional boundaries, taking on additional tasks to support builds, testing, operations, and team needs. 
As our vehicle platform, engineering capability, and facilities scale, this role will evolve — and we’re looking for someone who thrives in that environment, brings initiative, and contributes wherever needed to keep the programme moving.

Primary Responsibilities:
These define the core purpose of the role — the activities performed most frequently.
•Maintain day to day readiness, configuration, and status of all prototype vehicles.
•Support hands on mechanical and electrical work during updates, repairs, and bring up.
•Assist in diagnosing integration issues across mechanical, electrical, powertrain, and software domains.
•Prepare vehicles for test events and drive during development tests and demonstrations.
•Manage the prototype workshop, tooling, consumables, and safety processes.

Secondary Responsibilities
Important responsibilities that support engineering development and programme execution.
•Support installation and maintenance of sensors, wiring looms, and data acquisition systems.
•Assist with configuring logging tools, validating data quality, and handing over structured data.
•Support execution of physical DVP test cases and structured data collection.
•Prepare vehicles for marketing demonstrations and provide on site technical support.
•Conduct safety inspections and support HV safety processes.

Wider Responsibilities
Occasional or situational responsibilities that arise as the programme evolves.
•Coordinate transport, scheduling, and logistics for prototype vehicles.
•Contribute to developing repeatable build processes and workshop documentation.
•Support supplier interactions, part validation, and integration of prototype components.

Qualifications and Experience 
•Degree or apprenticeship in automotive engineering, motorsport engineering, mechanical engineering, or equivalent hands on experience.
•Strong experience working with prototype vehicles, motorsport vehicles, or early stage EV platforms.
•Hands on capability across mechanical, electrical, and powertrain systems.
•Experience with vehicle diagnostics, CAN tools, data logging, and subsystem activation.
•Comfortable operating in fast moving, ambiguous environments with incomplete information.
•Experience supporting test events, track days, or development campaigns (advantageous).
•Familiarity with lightweight structures or L category vehicles (advantageous).

Key Competencies
•Delivery focused, structured, and action oriented.
•Strong organiser able to manage multiple vehicles, events, and priorities.
•Diagnostic mindset — calm, methodical, and hands on during builds and test events.
•Clear communicator who aligns engineering teams, suppliers, and external stakeholders.
•High ownership mentality with strong follow through and escalation discipline.
•Pragmatic, data informed, and comfortable making decisions under uncertainty.