R&D Technician (Body) – Technical Center Workshop (Automotive Body)

Location: Blythewood, South Carolina, United States; daily in-person attendance required. The role may include occasional travel and short functional or validation drives.

Salary: $26.44–$33.65 per hour, plus $0.75 per hour after six months. Full-time, non-exempt position with a 40-hour normal schedule and eligibility for overtime and an annual performance bonus.

Company

hirify.global is developing electrified and digitally enabled pickup trucks and rugged SUVs, including all-electric and range-extender powertrains.

What you will do

• Support Technical Center Workshop activities for vehicle builds, rework, and validation, focusing on automotive body systems, BIW, and paint-related components.
• Perform hands-on body assembly, disassembly, repairs, modifications, metal work, alignment correction, and fit adjustment for prototype, pre-series, and development vehicles.
• Support spot welding and other joining processes, install or remove measurement equipment and fixtures, and complete functional validation drives when required.
• Perform initial diagnostics and root cause analysis, document rework and repair findings, and maintain accurate vehicle and body work records.
• Read and follow repair procedures, joining instructions, assembly documentation, and retrofit instructions.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and test teams while supporting onboarding, daily workshop meetings, safety, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• At least 3 years of professional experience in automotive production, body repair, BIW, or paint-related work.
• Hands-on experience with body panels, structural parts, metal work, part rework, alignment correction, and fit adjustments.
• Familiarity with spot welding or similar joining processes and the ability to interpret online and offline measurement results.
• Ability to read repair procedures, assembly instructions, and retrofit documentation and work independently within a cross-functional team.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to operate vehicles for functional verification where applicable.

Nice to have

• Certificate in Automotive Technology, Collision Repair, or a related field.
• State mechanic or body repair certification.
• Experience in manufacturing or production facilities and knowledge of vehicle dimensional measurement and body alignment systems.
• Familiarity with CAN, LIN, or Ethernet vehicle communication networks.
• Experience with hybrid or electric vehicles and high-voltage systems.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to help build an automotive company and products from the ground up.
• Medical, dental, vision, and income protection plans.
• 401(k) program with employer matching and immediate vesting.
• Paid time off, company holidays, paid parental leave, and paid leave for bereavement, jury duty, voting time, and military leave.
• Inclusive, entrepreneurial, collaborative, and fast-paced work environment.