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.

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Tesla, Apple, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries.

About the Job

We are developing a core technology, the “Node”, that will operate in the worst conditions the world’s oceans have to offer for years at a time without human maintenance or intervention.

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will spearhead the design of numerous mechanical components and assemblies that must withstand extreme loads and a harsh ocean environment. You will be responsible for subsystems from inception through deployment, including initial trade studies, preliminary and detailed design, lab testing, commissioning, and deployment in the field. This position requires a highly motivated, hands-on engineer who thrives in ambiguity, can execute with autonomy, and is eager to take on end-to-end ownership, defining requirements and architecture and driving through design, prototype testing, and final build. We expect you to be especially strong in analysis and to gravitate toward first-principles, fundamental-physics approaches to problem solving.

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. You will own your designs cradle-to-grave, from first concept through fabrication and deployment at sea. If you are an excellent engineer, regardless of your background, we want you to apply.

Responsibilities

Serve as responsible engineer for core technology subsystems, which could include: primary and secondary structures, pressure- and seawater-tolerant electronics packaging, fluid systems, lab-based testing apparatuses, cable routing and layout, and ground-support equipment
Create and maintain component and assembly CAD models using NX and Teamcenter
Create detailed component and assembly drawings with a strong grasp of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-ups
Drive design trade studies and engineering reviews, helping document decisions and technical findings
Drive material selection and corrosion-conscious detailing for long-duration seawater service
Interface with external fabricators and vendors
Work with, and direct, a skilled technician workforce to carry out prototyping, testing, fabrication, and development of operational and maintenance procedures
Mentor less-experienced engineers and set design and analysis standards the team builds on

Required Qualifications

A degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, naval architecture, marine engineering, or other engineering discipline
Extensive experience designing components, structures, and assemblies from a variety of materials (steel, aluminum, titanium, plastics, composites, etc.)
5+ years 3D CAD modeling experience
Strong use of hand calculations for structural analysis
Experience with structural FEA
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to provide guidance and technical material to engineers, designers, technicians, and suppliers, adeptly receiving and incorporating their guidance and technical information into your approach