Lead Mechanical Engineer, Core Electronics and Systems Integration

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.

About the Job

Our core technology is the Node, a device that produces energy in the ocean's harshest conditions for years without human maintenance or intervention. As the Lead Mechanical Engineer, Core Electronics and Systems Integration, you will own the technical vision and execution of the mechanical systems that house, protect, and interconnect the Node's mission-critical electronics. You will serve as both an individual contributor on critical designs and a team lead, identifying and hiring for complementary expertise in domains where you do not personally have the necessary depth.

You will be responsible for internal electronics packaging, pressure-rated enclosures, and cabling and harnessing systems – overseeing their full lifecycle from design to build, ensuring all Node components are reliably integrated for testing and deployment. You will be part of a highly cross-functional team, collaborating closely with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers to bridge the gap between the physical structure and the data and power flows required for the Node's operation.

This role will initially involve hands-on individual contributor work, taking on key design and integration tasks to support our near-term deployments. Over time, you will build and grow your team to scale alongside our Node manufacturing roadmap – focusing on performance, reliability, and cost optimization. The person who thrives in this role is both a technical expert and a pragmatic builder – comfortable doing everything from drawing detailed GD&T specs in NX to assembling prototypes. They are a leader who brings rigor, organization, and a passion for empowering and developing others.

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. If you are an excellent engineer, regardless of your background, we want you to apply.

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke, Boeing, Virgin Orbit, Virgin Galactic, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, Bridgewater Associates, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries. We are organized as a public benefit corporation and are backed by leading venture capital firms, private investors, philanthropic investors, and endowments.

We strive to be the best engineering team on the planet and we compensate our engineers accordingly.

Responsibilities:

- Own the mechanical integration of Core electronics across the full product lifecycle: concept generation, detailed design, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and deployment.

- Design and optimize mechanical systems for PCBs, electronic subassemblies, and system assemblies – including enclosures, chassis, brackets, mounts, bulkhead interfaces, and cable passthroughs / penetrations. Ensure Node connectivity and structural integrity under real-world marine conditions.

- Drive Node program strategies for seawater submerged electronics enclosure design including pressure tolerance, sealing, corrosion mitigation, and reliability over long deployment durations.

- Select appropriate materials and manufacturing processes to handle complex constraints such as thermal, EMI, shock, and vibration, while still meeting requirements for manufacturability and reliability.

- Create wiring diagrams from system requirements for power distribution, low-speed and high-speed data / communication. Translate into cable and harness designs, including layout in CAD for optimal fit and routing. Ensure processes, designs, and selected hardware (e.g., connectors) result in maintainable and serviceable products.

- Work closely with technicians and / or with your own tools and hands to prototype, fabricate, test. Drive fast iteration to validate form, fit, and function. Develop installation and maintenance procedures.

- Drive system trades, requirements capture, analysis, documentation.

- Utilize a high-end CAD software design package (NX) and PDM tool (Teamcenter) to facilitate detailed 3D model, engineering drawing , and BOM creation for both internal builds and vendor fabrication. Conduct and lead design reviews of outputs.

- Hire, mentor, and grow the team to ensure that you have all the skills and expertise needed to fully execute the mechanical scope.

Required Qualifications:

- A Bachelor's Degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.

- 7+ years of experience designing and packaging electronic systems for production, with expertise in cabling, harnessing, and enclosure integration. - 2+ years of experience leading engineering teams.

- Expertise in 3D CAD, ideally Siemens NX, with strong modeling and drawing creation skills.

- Proficient in GD&T and experienced in tolerance stack-ups for mechanical-electrical integration.

- A track record of delivering real hardware through multiple design-build-test-release cycles.

- Significant experience working with cross-functional teams and external customers / partners.

Desired Qualifications:

- Prior work on systems designed for marine, aerospace, or automotive industries with high-reliability requirements deployed in harsh environments.

- Background in thermal or structural simulation to inform mechanical design decisions and demonstrated understanding of failure modes of complex mechanical / electrical systems.

- Familiarity with DFM/DFA processes and collaborating with overseas or domestic contract manufacturers.

- Strong organizational, planning, and documentation skills, with the ability to manage technical projects from big picture to minute details.

- Demonstrated leadership ability, including mentoring, motivating, and guiding teams through complex or high-pressure projects.

- Comfort transitioning between individual contributor and leadership roles, owning both hands-on design work and team development.

- Ability to bring structure to ambiguous and imperfect requirements, driving projects forward with clear plans, resource allocations, and schedules.

- Thrive in fast-paced, self-starting environments and demonstrate a curiosity for continuous learning and improvement.

The above qualifications are desired, not required. We encourage you to apply if you are a strong candidate with only some of the desired skills and experience listed.

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, including flexible PTO and flexible working hours.

Compensation and Benefits:

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

- Cash compensation of $190,000–$250,000.

- 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 33% for full time employees and 100% for 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. On-site, our offices, lab, shop, and manufacturing facilities are located in and near Portland, Oregon.

Candidates must have the legal right to work in the United States. We are unable to provide new visa sponsorship for this role; however, we may consider H-1B transfer applications from exceptional candidates.