Staff Electrical Engineer - Balance of System Integration Engineer

About Mainspring

Mainspring Energy manufactures and delivers fuel-flexible, low-emissions local power solutions that rapidly add new capacity and deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power. The company began commercial shipments of its Mainspring Linear Generators in 2020 and today has hundreds of megawatts in advanced development and field operations for leading Fortune 500 companies, data centers, and utilities. Mainspring also partners with global energy leaders including AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, Schneider Electric, and more.

The core values that ground our work, guide our decisions, and connect us together:

• Pragmatic Optimism
• Excellence without Ego
• Proactive Collaboration

Job Overview

Mainspring is seeking a versatile Systems Integration Engineer to lead the architectural design and deployment of the hardware-to-software interface for our Linear Generator sites. You will serve as a cross-functional technical lead for Balance of System (BoS) strategy, developing modular hardware platforms that scale from small microgrids to utility-scale power plants. In this capacity, you will own the full design lifecycle and vendor management for our Industrial Control Panels (ICP), which serve as the critical communication and I/O hub for our Linear Generator sites.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full design cycle for NEMA 3R and 4X control cabinets, including component selection for industrial PCs, managed switches, and I/O modules
• Design and implement I/O mapping for control and safety systems, including E-Stop synchronization, blackstart triggers, and ground-fault detection using Modbus/TCP-based edge devices
• Architect robust site-level communication networks, including managed VLAN structures and fiber/copper hybrid topologies for high-demand environments
• Be the primary technical interface for outsourced design firms and panel manufacturers, ensuring high reliability designs, UL 508A compliance and manufacturing scalability
• Lead technical reviews and coordinate with contract manufacturers to drive cost-reduction, design-for-manufacturability (DFM), and UL 508A certification
• Manage the physical and electrical interfaces between the linear generator and external balance-of-system equipment, such as external grid-tied inverters

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field
• 8+ years of demonstrated experience developing industrial control panels and integrated systems
• Strong understanding of DC/AC power distribution, relay logic, and industrial communication protocols (Modbus, Ethernet/IP)
• Demonstrated experience integrating complex hardware platforms with third-party software controllers or utility-level aggregators
• Experience with UL 508A standards, control panel layout, and thermal management in outdoor environments (-30C to 50C)
• Proven ability to manage complex project dependencies, including hardware fitment within tight spatial constraints

Bonus

• Familiarity with grid-tied inverters, battery pre-charge circuits, or Linux-based industrial PCs
• Experience with PLC programming, Microgrid or SCADA system integration

$157,000 - $185,000 a year

This position is onsite at our Menlo Park HQ . The salary will be adjusted to reflect local market conditions based on employee location as well as the experience of the employee. Along with the base salary, Mainspring offers pre-IPO stock options + benefits.

Does your experience not meet all of our posted requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to positions unless they meet every listed requirement. At Mainspring, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, flexible, and collaborative environment, so if you want to help us transition the world to clean and affordable electricity, and don't meet all posted requirements for a particular role, we'd still love to hear from you. Mainspring can sometimes be flexible enough to shift responsibilities for the right person, or otherwise identify open or upcoming roles that may better fit your professional background.

In more traditional words, Mainspring Energy, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

This compensation and benefits information is based on Mainspring Energy's estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future. We generally do not negotiate on salary once we have made an offer. The level of pay within the range will depend on a variety of job-related factors that may include location, relevant prior experience and/or education, or particular skills and expertise. New hires joining the company tend to be paid within the starting base pay range noted above, with opportunities to increase pay over time based on development of additional skills, competencies, and company-specific knowledge.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.