Exowatt

Modular full-stack renewable energy for businesses

Mechanical Engineer - Optical Systems

Design EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeMiami, FL, USA

About the Job

Requirements

A Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
At least one year of hands-on build or design experience with real hardware; internships, co-ops, research labs, and major project-team roles count.
Strong fundamentals in mathematics and physics, including first-principles reasoning, estimation, and checking results against known limits.
Working knowledge of a parametric computer-aided design tool; the team uses PTC Creo and SolidWorks.
Working understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (ASME Y14.5) and tolerance stack-up analysis.
Familiarity with machining, sheet metal, welding, and 3D printing, as well as design-for-manufacturability and design-for-assembly principles.
Ability to validate simulations with first-principles hand calculations and conduct structured root-cause analysis when hardware misbehaves.
A track record of building real hardware through internships, capstone projects, FSAE, solar car teams, robotics, makerspaces, or independent builds; bench experience matters more than coursework grades.
Ability and motivation to own the full cycle from idea through CAD, built hardware, testing, learning from mistakes, and rapid iteration.
Comfort with shop and bench work, including hand tools, fixturing, assembly, and careful mechanical work on precision hardware.
Coursework or hands-on project experience in solid mechanics, statics, dynamics, and finite element analysis.
Comfort troubleshooting electromechanical systems hands-on, including wiring harnesses, sensors, motor drivers, encoders, microcontrollers, and their firmware or software.
Fluency with AI coding agents such as Claude Code, Codex, or similar as a daily engineering tool; use them to write most code and review, test, and understand every line they produce.
Ability to decompose workflows into steps agents can execute, with clean interfaces, verifiable checkpoints, and guardrails, and to identify incorrect agent output; ability to direct multiple agents is valued.
Ability to document work clearly enough for another engineer to continue it without asking questions.
Ability to adapt as designs and priorities change based on evidence.
Willingness to work extended hours and occasional weekends when builds, test campaigns, or program deadlines demand it.
Ability to lift up to 25 pounds unassisted and work safely with shop tools, ladders, and lifts using appropriate personal protective equipment.
Ability to work outdoors in Miami heat during assembly and field testing.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and align optomechanical assemblies for tracker platforms, including optic mounts, frames, and alignment and adjustment features, owning the process from concept and CAD model through fabricated parts and working assemblies.
Assemble prototypes and test articles, fixture and align optics, resolve fit-up issues at the bench, and rapidly incorporate findings into design revisions.
Support test-stand construction, instrumentation, and commissioning, including sensor mounting, wiring, calibration, data acquisition integration, first light, and commissioning runs.
Troubleshoot electromechanical systems hands-on, including wiring harnesses, sensors, motor drivers, encoders, microcontrollers, and associated code; use a multimeter, oscilloscope, and Python debugger to identify root causes and drive corrective actions into the design.
Use AI coding agents for scripting, analysis, and documentation related to hardware, and help make test and simulation infrastructure agent-ready for unattended overnight campaigns.
Build and revise CAD models in PTC Creo and SolidWorks; develop fabrication, weldment, and assembly drawing packages using GD&T (ASME Y14.5); run tolerance stack-up analyses and iterate based on fabrication feedback.
Support structural analysis of tracker platforms using first-principles hand calculations, ANSYS finite element analysis, and SAP2000 for code-checked wind-load combinations under ASCE 7-22.
Maintain subsystem-level bills of materials and follow up with vendors for slew drives, optical components, fasteners, and sheet-metal fabrication.
Document analysis, build progress, and decisions on the team wiki, including methodology pages, test plans, weekly status updates, and design memos.
Present and defend work in design reviews and grow into ownership of larger subsystems.
Collaborate with controls, software, and supply chain teams, as well as external engineering partners and vendors.
Travel occasionally to fabricators, vendors, and field sites.

Desired Qualifications

Hands-on experience assembling or aligning optical or precision mechanical hardware.
Experience with motion components and mechanisms, including bearings, actuators, gear and slew drives, and bolted and welded joint design.
Exposure to design validation and reliability practices, including DFMEA, DVP&R, or environmental qualification testing.
Coursework or research in optical systems, photonics, heat transfer, or solar energy.
Hands-on experience with ANSYS, SAP2000, or another finite element analysis package beyond classroom problem sets.
Python or MATLAB scripting for kinematics, data reduction, and plotting.
Experience building agentic systems around real hardware or simulation, including agents driving instruments, CAD, or simulation models through tool interfaces such as MCP, running overnight parameter sweeps, and summarizing results; or projects that gave AI systems real controls and made their output trustworthy.
Laboratory or test-stand experience involving data acquisition, instrumentation, or calibration.
Familiarity with controls fundamentals, including open-loop versus closed-loop control and sensor fusion concepts.
Interest in solar energy, heliostats, or large-scale renewable infrastructure.

Exowatt is revolutionizing the energy landscape for the AI era with our groundbreaking P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. Founded in 2023 and backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis, we're committed to providing clean, modular, and scalable power that meets the rapidly growing demands of AI infrastructure. Our mission is to make sustainable renewable energy always available and almost free, enabling technological advancement while protecting our planet.

We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer to join our optics team. The team owns the full design-to-commissioning lifecycle for our tracker hardware: precision optical elements and the structures that position them, solar tracking architectures, structural analysis under wind and gravity loading, and the instrumentation that turns prototypes into measured systems. The core problem is deceptively hard: hold optical precision on a large structure that moves all day, outdoors, under wind, gravity, and thermal swings, all at a cost that can scale to thousands of units.

At its core, this is a builder's role. Your main focus will be optomechanical assemblies: designing, fabricating, assembling, aligning, and testing the hardware that positions optical elements (lenses and mirrors, for example) on our trackers. The full loop is yours: idea to CAD to built hardware to test data, learning from what breaks and turning the next revision around in days, not months. You will spend most of your time hands-on in the shop, at the assembly bench, and on the test stand. The work spans structures, optics, precision assembly, sensors, and the code and AI agents that read them. This is an AI-native team: agents already drive our simulation campaigns and babysit our long-running tests, and we expect you to work at that level from day one. Everything around your hardware that is code, calculation, or documentation is something an agent should be running for you. Expect real ownership, a steep learning curve, and senior engineers who will review your work closely and push you to grow fast.

This position is based in Miami, FL. If selected, relocation to Miami, FL is required. Exowatt provides relocation assistance.

Key Responsibilities:

Design, build, and align optomechanical assemblies for the tracker platforms (optic mounts, frames, and alignment and adjustment features), owning them end to end: idea, CAD model, fabricated parts, assembled and working hardware

Build hardware hands-on: assemble prototypes and test articles, fixture and align optics, work through fit-up issues at the bench, and turn what you learn into the next design revision fast

Support test stand build, instrumentation, and commissioning: sensor mounting, wiring, calibration, DAQ integration, first light, and commissioning runs

Troubleshoot electromechanical systems hands-on: wiring harnesses, sensors, motor drivers, encoders, microcontrollers, and the code talking to them; multimeter, oscilloscope, and Python debugger in the same afternoon, root-causing failures and driving corrective actions back into the design

Work AI-native: drive the scripting, analysis, and documentation around your hardware with AI coding agents, and help make the team's test and simulation infrastructure agent-ready so campaigns can run overnight without a human babysitting them

Build and revise CAD models in PTC Creo and SolidWorks; develop drawing packages with GD&T (ASME Y14.5) for fabrication, weldments, and assemblies, run tolerance stack-up analyses, and iterate against fabrication feedback

Support structural analysis across tracker platforms: first-principles hand calculations, ANSYS FEA for detailed analysis, SAP2000 for code-checked wind-load combinations under ASCE 7-22

Maintain subsystem-level BOMs and handle vendor follow-ups: slew drives, optical components, fasteners, sheet-metal fabrication

Document analysis, build progress, and decisions on the team wiki: methodology pages, test plans, weekly status, design memos

Present and defend your own work in design reviews, growing into ownership of larger subsystems over time

Collaborate with controls, software, and supply chain teams, and with external engineering partners and vendors

Qualifications:

BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline

1+ years of hands-on build or design experience with real hardware; internships, co-ops, research labs, and major project-team roles count

Strong fundamentals in math and physics: you reason from first principles, estimate before you compute, and check every result against known limits before you believe it; we probe this hard in interviews

Working knowledge of a parametric CAD tool; the team uses PTC Creo and SolidWorks

Working understanding of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and tolerance stack-up analysis

Familiarity with common fabrication processes (machining, sheet metal, welding, 3D printing) and design-for-manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA) principles

Ability to back up simulation with first-principles hand calculations, and to run structured root-cause analysis when hardware misbehaves

A track record of building real hardware: internships, capstone projects, FSAE, solar car teams, robotics, makerspaces, or independent builds all count; bench experience matters more than coursework grades

The drive to own the full cycle yourself: take an idea to CAD, to built hardware, to test, learn from the mistakes, and iterate quickly rather than handing steps off to others

Comfort with shop and bench work: hand tools, fixturing, assembly, and careful mechanical work on precision hardware

Coursework or hands-on project experience in solid mechanics, statics, dynamics, and finite element analysis

Comfort troubleshooting electromechanical systems hands-on: wiring harnesses, sensors, motor drivers, encoders, microcontrollers, and the firmware or software talking to them

Fluency with AI coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, or similar) as a daily engineering tool: you use them to write most of your code, and you own every line they produce, reviewed, tested, and understood; expect us to ask you to show how you work with AI the same way we ask about your bench skills

The instinct to make work agentic: you can decompose a workflow into steps an agent can execute, with clean interfaces, verifiable checkpoints, and guardrails, and you have the judgment to catch an agent when it is confidently wrong; engineers who can direct several agents at once will outrun those who type everything themselves, and we hire the former

Strong written communication: you can document your work clearly enough that the next engineer can pick it up without asking you

The temperament to hold your ideas loosely: designs evolve weekly and priorities shift on real evidence; engineers who can let go and update move fastest

Preferred Qualifications:

Hands-on experience assembling or aligning optical or precision mechanical hardware

Experience with motion components and mechanisms: bearings, actuators, gear and slew drives, bolted and welded joint design

Exposure to design validation and reliability practices: DFMEA, DVP&R, or environmental qualification testing

Coursework or research in optical systems, photonics, heat transfer, or solar energy

Hands-on experience with ANSYS, SAP2000, or another FEA package beyond classroom problem sets

Python or MATLAB scripting: kinematics, data reduction, plotting

Experience building agentic systems around real hardware or simulation: agents driving instruments, CAD, or simulation models through tool interfaces (MCP or similar), running parameter sweeps overnight, and summarizing the results; or any project where you gave an AI real levers and made its output trustworthy

Lab or test-stand experience involving DAQ, instrumentation, or calibration

Familiarity with controls fundamentals: open-loop versus closed-loop, sensor fusion concepts

Interest in solar energy, heliostats, or large-scale renewable infrastructure

Additional Requirements:

Willingness to work extended hours and occasional weekends when builds, test campaigns, or program deadlines demand it

Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted, and to work safely with shop tools, ladders, and lifts with appropriate PPE

Ability to work outdoors in Miami heat during assembly and field testing

Occasional travel to fabricators, vendors, and field sites

What We Offer:
Competitive salary and equity options.
Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.
A dynamic work environment that fosters creativity and innovation.
Opportunities for professional growth and development in a rapidly evolving industry.
Relocation assistance.

About the Company

Exowatt

Modular full-stack renewable energy for businesses

Exowatt designs, installs, and maintains modular full-stack renewable energy systems for commercial and industrial clients. Its products are customizable energy solutions built from modular components that can be designed to meet specific energy needs and regulatory requirements, then installed on-site and supported through ongoing maintenance. The company’s approach combines consulting, system design, installation, and long-term service into a single, integrated package, enabling a seamless transition to renewables. This end-to-end service helps clients scale energy capacity as needed and manage energy performance over time. Exowatt differentiates itself by offering a true full-stack, modular package that covers from initial assessment to ongoing upkeep, fostering long-term relationships rather than one-off projects. Its goal is to help businesses lower both their carbon footprint and energy costs by moving to renewable energy with adaptable, scalable systems.

Company size: 51-200
Company stage: Series A
Total funding: $90M
Headquarters: Miami, FL
Founded: 2023

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