Principal System Integration 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.

About The Job

We are seeking a System Integration Lead Engineer to join our team and provide technical leadership for the mechanical, electrical and software integration of the autonomous wave power generator we call a "Node". The Node is a device designed to produce energy in the harshest ocean conditions for extended periods without maintenance. This role is crucial to our success; you will be responsible for ensuring that all the node systems work when integrated and will use assets like our hardware in the loop test rig to ensure that every node we deploy, including our first, functions as designed. You will bring together the mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems and prove through demonstration and testing that they work as a cohesive unit.

You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of system integration, from architecting the necessary test campaigns to overseeing the final acceptance testing prior to deployment of our Nodes into high-consequence environments. This role requires extensive experience with Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) testing and the qualification of entire systems, not just individual components. You must be comfortable managing hazardous systems containing high voltage and high energy, while thriving in a creative, scrappy, and collaborative startup environment.

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, and Virgin Orbit, and we strive to be the best engineering team on the planet.

Responsibilities Accountability: Own the integration of Node systems over all stages of each program, ensuring mechanical and electrical harmony.

System Qualification: Architect and conduct comprehensive test campaigns to qualify systems that are the culmination of multiple engineering disciplines.

Technical Leadership: Lead and participate in design reviews, interfacing with internal teams and external vendors to ensure system-level requirements are met.

Testing Excellence: Lead Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) and qualification testing to ensure systems perform the first time during deployment.

Hazard Management: Safely manage the integration and testing of hazardous systems, including those with high voltage, high energy, and large physical dimensions and mass.

Project Management: Work effectively with project management resources to ensure timely delivery of test results.

Documentation: Oversee project documentation and create detailed engineering releases for integrated assemblies.

Mentorship: Mentor and guide other engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaborative problem-solving.

Required Qualifications Education: A degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or another related discipline.

Experience: 10+ of experience with commissioning and bringing up complex, safety-critical, or high-performance systems.

Technical Depth: Extensive experience integrating mechanical and electrical systems for vehicles or products in challenging, high-consequence environments.

System Integration: Demonstrated history of making significant contributions in at least five design, build, test, and deploy cycles for complex systems.

Hazardous Systems: Practical experience dealing with hazardous hardware, including high-voltage and high-energy systems.

Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to provide and receive guidance across various technical levels.

Desired Qualifications

Advanced Expertise: An advanced degree in a relevant engineering field.

Software & Data: Proficiency with NX/Teamcenter and experience with data acquisition (DAQ) and programming languages like Python, Julia, or Mathematica.

Testing Mastery: Specialized experience in architecting HIL test benches and full-vehicle qualification campaigns.

Marine Fundamentals: Understanding of engineering fundamentals relevant to marine systems, such as hydraulics, pneumatics, and industrial automation.

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 unlimited PTO and flexible working hours.

Compensation And Benefits

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

- Cash compensation of $160,000 – $230,000

- 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 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. Our offices, lab, and shop are located in Portland, Oregon.