Electrical Engineer (San Diego)

Electrical Engineering Technician

Comp: $25–$50/hr

Status: Contract

About the Company

This San Diego-based climate-tech startup builds thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems for energy-intensive industries, letting operators shift power usage to cheaper windows and electrify high-temperature industrial heat at a cost edge over fossil fuels. The system delivers a continuous stream of combustion-free, high-temperature air up to 1,200°C. Backed by major climate and energy venture investors.

The Opportunity

We're hiring a safety-focused Electronics Technician to assemble, test, troubleshoot, and maintain complex electronic systems, with particular emphasis on high-power and high-voltage equipment. You'll partner closely with the engineering team to keep high-voltage components, power supplies, inverters, and industrial control systems running safely and reliably.

What You'll Do

• Run routine and advanced testing, calibration, and validation on high-power electronics and high-voltage circuitry
• Diagnose failures down to the component level across power electronics, switchgear, transformers, motor drives, and energy storage systems
• Read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and mechanical blueprints to assemble and install high-voltage panels and subsystems
• Follow electrical safety protocols closely, including LOTO procedures, arc flash safety, and NFPA 70E standards
• Carry out preventative and corrective maintenance on high-voltage test fixtures and production equipment to reduce downtime
• Keep detailed logs of test data, repair history, and equipment performance; write up technical reports on failure analysis
• Work alongside electrical and mechanical engineers to prototype new power systems and suggest design improvements based on field testing

Physical Requirements

• Mix of desk-based documentation work and hands-on lab/test time
• Able to lift/carry up to 50 lbs. (team lift or mechanical assist for heavier loads)
• Strong hand dexterity for assembly, instrumentation hookup, and equipment operation
• Sharp visual acuity for reading drawings and spotting dimensional/surface issues
• Comfortable in required PPE (safety glasses, heat-resistant gloves, safety shoes, etc.) in high-heat lab/shop settings
• Solid understanding of lab/shop safety practices — hazard recognition around high-temp equipment, energized systems, and fabrication machinery
• Minimal travel (under 5%) for occasional tool/material pickup

What Success Looks Like Here

• You communicate directly and proactively, without needing to be chased for updates
• You jump in wherever help is needed — debugging with a teammate, lending a hand in the shop, flagging issues outside your lane
• You're curious about the whole system — chemistry, mechanical engineering, power electronics, software — not just your piece of it
• You weigh cost and timeline alongside technical quality in your decisions
• You can move forward without a fully built playbook, and know when to ask versus decide
• You own your outcomes, misses included, and focus on fixing and learning rather than explaining