Senior Mechanical Engineer

About the Company

We are a renewable energy and ocean technology company committed to rapidly developing and deploying technologies that will ensure a sustainable future for Earth by unlocking the vast energy potential of its oceans. Our focus is on capturing civilizational levels of ultra-low-cost renewable energy for applications including computing and affordable renewable fuels delivered to shore.

The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon and backed by leading venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, university endowments, and private investment offices. We operate as an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis. 

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Tesla, Apple, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries.

About the Job

We are developing a core technology, the “Node”, that will operate in the worst conditions the world’s oceans have to offer for years at a time without human maintenance or intervention. 

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will spearhead the design of numerous mechanical components and assemblies that must withstand extreme loads and a harsh ocean environment.  You will be responsible for subsystems from inception through deployment, including initial trade studies, preliminary and detailed design, lab testing, commissioning, and deployment in the field. This position requires a highly motivated, hands-on engineer who thrives in ambiguity, can execute with autonomy, and is eager to take on end-to-end ownership, defining requirements and architecture and driving through design, prototype testing, and final build.  We expect you to be especially strong in analysis and to gravitate toward first-principles, fundamental-physics approaches to problem solving. 

Candidates should have strong interpersonal skills and be able to thrive in a creative, scrappy, and collaborative environment in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis. You will own your designs cradle-to-grave, from first concept through fabrication and deployment at sea. If you are an excellent engineer, regardless of your background, we want you to apply.

Responsibilities

• Serve as responsible engineer for core technology subsystems, which could include: primary and secondary structures, pressure- and seawater-tolerant electronics packaging, fluid systems, lab-based testing apparatuses, cable routing and layout, and ground-support equipment
• Create and maintain component and assembly CAD models using NX and Teamcenter
• Create detailed component and assembly drawings with a strong grasp of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-ups
• Drive design trade studies and engineering reviews, helping document decisions and technical findings
• Drive material selection and corrosion-conscious detailing for long-duration seawater service
• Interface with external fabricators and vendors
• Work with, and direct, a skilled technician workforce to carry out prototyping, testing, fabrication, and development of operational and maintenance procedures
• Mentor less-experienced engineers and set design and analysis standards the team builds on

Required Qualifications

• A degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, naval architecture, marine engineering, or other engineering discipline
• Extensive experience designing components, structures, and assemblies from a variety of materials (steel, aluminum, titanium, plastics, composites, etc.)
• 5+ years 3D CAD modeling experience
• Strong use of hand calculations for structural analysis
• Experience with structural FEA
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to provide guidance and technical material to engineers, designers, technicians, and suppliers, adeptly receiving and incorporating their guidance and technical information into your approach
• Confidence working independently to drive a project forward
• A work history encompassing at least five design, build, test, deploy/release/produce cycles for different projects

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, naval architecture, ocean engineering, or a related field, or 5 years additional experience in lieu of an advanced degree
• At least 5 years in a similar role
• Experience designing packaging for electronics exposed to the marine environment
• Experience with sheet metal part design
• Experience with sealing methods including o-rings and gaskets
• Experience designing piping systems that include pumps, valves, sensors, etc.
• Hands-on hardware experience performing fabrication, assembly, and/or testing in a professional, academic, or recreational setting
• Experience with rapid prototyping processes (3D printing, CNC machining, laser cutting)
• Familiarity with instrumentation and control components (pressure transducers, thermocouples, RTDs, strain gauges, accelerometers, flow meters, load cells, relays, solenoids, pneumatic valves)
• Experience with NX/Teamcenter
• Experience with finite element analysis (NX NASTRAN, FEMAP) software packages
• Experience using Python, Julia, MATLAB, Mathematica, or another similar programming language for data review and analysis
• Knowledge of engineering standards and best practices including ASME Y14.5
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, self-starting, and demanding atmosphere
• A curiosity to learn and a passion for continuous improvement
• Solid understanding of technical projects from the details to the big picture
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and presentation skills

Additional Requirements

• Travel to vendors and test sites as needed.
• Intermittently able to work longer hours and weekends to support critical needs. While we expect a lot of each other, we also offer a high degree of autonomy and work-life balance.

Compensation and Benefits

If hired for this full-time role, you will receive:

• Cash compensation of $150,000 - $225,000.
• Equity in the company. We’re all owners and if we’re successful, this equity should be far and away the most valuable component of your compensation.
• A benefits package that helps you take care of yourself and your family, including:
  • Flexible paid time off
  • Health insurance (the company pays 100% of gold-level PPO plan for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Dental insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Vision insurance (the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Disability insurance (the company pays 100% for a policy to provide long-term financial support if you become disabled)
  • Ability to contribute to tax-advantaged accounts, including 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA
• Relocation assistance to facilitate your move to Portland (if needed).

Location

This is an on-site position. Our offices, lab, and shop are located in Portland, Oregon .