Mechanical Engineer - Structures

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 Mechanical Engineer, Structures you will own the design, development, and analysis of Node structures and subsystems from concept through deployment at sea, ensuring their designs are simple, manufacturable, and reliable in demanding offshore environments. 

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 from early architecture and trade studies to prototype testing to final build at our factory.  You will make fast decisions, solve tough problems in the moment, and own projects from start to finish. The job requires you to build deep knowledge in load paths, design for manufacturability, welded structures, subassembly design, and fabrication.  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

• Own the design, analysis, and development of Node structures, secondary structures, and subassemblies
• Perform structural and dynamic analysis (FEA, hand calcs, margins, etc.) to validate designs including fatigue analysis
• Create and maintain component and assembly CAD models
• 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
• Plan and support structural validation testing, from coupon/component tests through prototype and at-sea trials
• Collaborate with offshore operations, technicians, and manufacturing teams to ensure designs are practical and buildable

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Naval Architecture, or a related technical field
• 3+ years of experience in mechanical or structural design engineering, including internships, research, or project work
• Demonstrated 3D CAD modeling experience
• Strong structural analysis fundamentals (load paths, hand calculations, FEA)
• Exposure to metallic structural design, GD&T, drawing creation, integration, and testing
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced environment

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Naval Architecture, or a related technical field
• 3+ years of professional experience designing and analyzing primary or secondary structures
• Proficiency with NX/Teamcenter
• Proficiency with NASTRAN/Simcenter
• Experience in a startup or agile development environment
• Familiarity with marine/offshore engineering fundamentals
• Exposure to relevant codes/standards (e.g., DNV, ABS, AWS D1.1, BPVC)

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.

Compensation and Benefits

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

• Cash compensation of $105,000 - $145,000. 
• 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, 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.  Expect periodic travel to deployment sites and time on the shop floor and on the water.