Race Engineer

Location: Germany, Freiburg (Office)

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

About the Role

Racing has always been one of Specialized’s most powerful innovation platforms. We are seeking an experienced Race Engineer to connect our athletes, teams, and engineering organization, ensuring insights from the highest levels of competition directly influence the next generation of Specialized product

Working across Product Management, Engineering, Applied Technologies, and S-Racing, the Race Engineer will translate athlete feedback, race observations, Retül data, aerodynamic measurements, and performance analysis into actionable insights and engineering requirements and solutions that directly shape future Specialized products.

This role sits at the intersection of engineering, performance, and racing. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable working with elite athletes, world-class engineers, product teams, media, and industry partners. They are technically credible, highly connected, hands-on, and driven to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of performance gains.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary engineering liaison between Specialized product teams, professional athletes, and race programs.
• Build trusted relationships with athletes, coaches, mechanics, performance staff, engineers, suppliers, and external technical partners to support athletes and teams with testing, validation, and performance-focused engineering solutions.
• Translate rider feedback, race scenarios, and performance data from testing and training environments into structured product requirements and measurable engineering targets, collaborating with cross-functional teams to influence future commercial product development.
• Define and execute validation programs, testing protocols, performance metrics, and prototype feedback loops to support the development and implementation of new products into top level racing.
• Design, prototype, and implement solutions using CAD, rapid prototyping, and hands-on problem-solving skills to move quickly in demanding race and testing environments.
• Communicate technical findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences acting as a technical ambassador for Specialized innovation with athletes, media, and external partners.
• Lead Specialized engineering support at team and athlete races, training camps, testing sessions, product development activities, and supplier visits.

Qualifications & Experience

• Engineering degree or equivalent experience in Mechanical Engineering, Sports Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Biomechanics, Applied Physics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in engineering, product development, performance analysis, race engineering, or a related discipline.
• Deep knowledge of competitive cycling, rider performance, aerodynamics, biomechanics, bike fit, and product validation.
• Proven ability to translate athlete feedback and performance data into actionable engineering requirements and product innovations.
• Strong analytical, CAD, prototyping, testing, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with wind tunnel, velodrome, laboratory, and field-testing methodologies.
• Familiarity with simulation, performance modeling, data analysis, and engineering-development processes.
• Experience working with elite athletes, race teams, and multidisciplinary product-development organizations.
• Strong road cycling expertise required; mountain bike experience a plus.
• Well-connected within cycling, engineering, and supplier communities.
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to build trust across athletes, race teams, and engineering organizations.
• Comfortable working across European and North American cultures and traveling extensively in support of racing and product development.

Personal Attributes

• Obsessed with innovation and rider performance.
• Personable, credible, and an exceptional communicator.
• Curious, collaborative, humble, and comfortable challenging conventional thinking.
• Able to combine technical rigor with practical decision-making.
• A hands-on, resourceful problem-solver who acts quickly and gets things done.
• Comfortable engaging confidently with leading engineers, athletes, and performance experts.

The successful candidate will become a trusted partner to Specialized athletes and engineers, accelerate the flow of race-proven insights into product development, and help create measurable competitive advantages for riders.

If you're an engineer, innovator, and problem-solver who thrives in elite racing environments and believes the best products are born from competition, we'd love to hear from you.