Lead Combustion Engineer

Company Overview

At Arbor, we’re creating technology to power our lives while protecting the planet that sustains them. Our advanced power systems deliver clean, reliable baseload electricity with zero operating emissions—modular, fuel-flexible, and engineered for the realities of today’s energy demand. At the core is a supercritical CO₂ turbine with integrated carbon capture, designed to bring carbon-neutral power online quickly at meaningful scale.

Our team includes aerospace engineers, combustion experts, and systems thinkers with a shared goal: to build technology worthy of the world we want to live in. While many of us began our journeys looking to the stars, we’re applying that expertise here at home to deliver dependable, emission-free baseload power and a future of lasting abundance.

If you’re drawn to rigorous work with lasting impact, we’d love to hear from you. Come build what the future will run on.

The Position

Our Lead Combustion Engineer serves as the technical authority pioneering our rocket-inspired, high-pressure oxy-fuel combustion systems - integral in delivering carbon-neutral and carbon-negative power cycles at scale.

In this leadership role, you’ll own the combustion subsystem, guiding a talented team through end-to-end development of breakthrough, high-efficiency devices in a fast-paced, collaborative startup environment. You’ll drive strategy from clean-sheet concepts and advanced modeling through hands-on testing, rapid iteration, and performance validation, establishing the technical direction that powers a sustainable future.

You’ll mentor junior engineers, align cross-functional efforts with test, analysis, and design teams, and make critical trade-off decisions to accelerate progress while pushing the boundaries of efficiency and reliability.

Responsibilities

- Serve as technical lead for oxy-fuel combustion systems: own architecture, clean-sheet design, rigorous analysis, and delivery of breakthrough performance

- Define and lead high-pressure/high-temperature test campaigns—from planning and execution through in-depth data analysis and actionable recommendations

- Direct system configuration trades and performance optimization to achieve maximum efficiency, reliability, and scalability

- Own rapid hardware development cycles—from manufacturing and assembly through testing and iterative improvements

- Champion the use of additive manufacturing, modern CFD/tools, and advanced simulation to shorten timelines and enable innovation

- Mentor team members, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and implement design upgrades that elevate system capability

Requirements

- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, chemical engineering, or related field

- 7+ years of experience in combustion system design, analysis, and testing

- Deep expertise in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and combustion

- Hands-on experience with high-temperature and pressure equipment

- Inspiring leadership presence with experience mentoring engineers and influencing cross-functional teams

- Demonstrated ability to own product lifecycle from conceptual design to validation

- Curious, inventive, and entrepreneurial mindset—thrives in ambiguity and drives progress relentlessly

Preferred Qualifications

- Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Chemical Engineering

- Direct experience leading hot-fire testing campaigns in rocket propulsion, gas turbines, or similar environments

- Proficiency in programming for data analysis and automation (Python, MATLAB, etc.)

- Prior success in startup or fast-paced hardware development environments

Benefits

- Pre-IPO stock options

- Medical, dental, and vision insurance (Arbor covers 90% for employees)

- Basic life insurance fully covered

- Health savings account (HSA) with matching

- Flexible savings account (FSA)

- Unlimited PTO

- 12+ company holidays, including Earth Day!

- 401(k)

- Commuter benefits

- Annual learning and development stipend

- And more!

Arbor is an equal opportunity employer. We never discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or marital, veteran, or disability status. Building a global solution to this global problem will require humans of all varieties to contribute diverse ideas and experiences, so we have put finding and hiring qualified individuals from underrepresented groups at the top of our priority list.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. 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.