Staff Electrical Engineer

About the role

Mainspring Energy operates at the intersection of innovation and necessity, providing fuel-flexible power solutions that adapt to available resources. The company achieved a significant milestone in 2020, moving beyond research into commercial reality with its Linear Generator. This progress is quantified in the hundreds of megawatts currently in advanced development and active field operations. These installations serve critical clients, including Fortune 500 corporations, data center operators, and regional utilities. Strategic alliances with industry giants such as AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, and Schneider Electric underscore the trust placed in Mainspring's technology.

This rapid growth is grounded in a distinct set of core values. Pragmatic Optimism drives the pursuit of practical solutions. Excellence without Ego ensures decisions prioritize the mission over personal recognition. Proactive Collaboration binds the team together in shared ownership of outcomes. These principles guide every action the company takes.

The Opportunity

The foundation of Mainspring's product is a unique Linear Generator, a technology demanding specialized hardware expertise. Unlike conventional systems, this generator achieves high efficiency and strict emissions compliance through sophisticated electrical hardware. The design and realization of these systems rest with a team of electrical engineers who manage the entire hardware lifecycle from concept to production. The company seeks a power electronics engineer to lead the next generation of these critical systems. Your decisions will directly impact generator reliability, field performance, and the success of deployments with key partners.

Location and Compensation

This role is based in Menlo Park, California. The position is a salaried engagement with a competitive compensation package of $185,000 per year.

Key Responsibilities

You will architect subsystem solutions that define the hardware architecture for generator modules. Your designs will establish the fundamental power pathways and control strategies that govern energy conversion. Responsibility for designing power circuits falls to you, with a primary focus on meeting stringent emissions regulations and maximizing efficiency under variable operating conditions. You will integrate control boards, working in concert with firmware teams, to validate real-world system behavior and ensure seamless communication between hardware and software. Verification is a critical phase; you will test prototypes using a range of bench and field equipment, meticulously documenting electrical performance metrics and anomalies for engineering review. Collaboration extends to manufacturing, where you will prepare detailed design files, assembly instructions, and test procedures to transition designs into high-volume production efficiently. You will also partner with utility providers and regulatory bodies to ensure hardware capabilities align with grid interconnection standards, operational demands, and safety protocols. Evaluating components is another core duty, requiring rigorous analysis of performance characteristics, cost implications, and supply chain availability to select the optimal options for production. Support for field operations is ongoing, involving diagnosing electrical faults remotely and guiding necessary hardware modifications or retrofits to maintain system uptime. You will conduct failure mode analysis to identify root causes of electrical issues and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence. Furthermore, you will contribute to the development of test methodologies that validate long-term reliability and durability of the power electronics under harsh environmental conditions. Your work will involve close coordination with mechanical and thermal engineering teams to ensure electrical designs fit within strict spatial and thermal constraints. You will also play a key role in creating technical documentation for internal stakeholders and external partners, ensuring clarity and consistency in hardware specifications.

Requirements

The role requires a minimum of six years of dedicated experience designing power electronics for demanding generator applications in industrial or energy sectors. You must possess a proven track record of handling hardware for utility-facing systems, adhering to rigorous safety standards, and ensuring compliance with relevant electrical codes and regulations. Proficiency with simulation tools such as SPICE-based platforms is essential to analyze circuit behavior across diverse temperature ranges, load profiles, and transient conditions. A strong understanding of electromagnetic compatibility principles is necessary to reduce electrical noise, mitigate interference, and ensure system integrity in complex electromagnetic environments. You must be adept at interpreting technical drawings, schematics, and mechanical specifications that define integration points between electrical and mechanical components. The ability to work effectively within project timelines while coordinating tasks across distributed engineering teams in multiple time zones is required. A bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical field is mandatory, and a master's degree is preferred. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship for this position.

Nice to Have

Direct experience collaborating with global energy partners like NextEra Energy Resources is highly valued. Hands-on experience with teardown analysis of failed hardware components to inform design improvements is preferred.

Tools and Skills

Your expertise will be centered on the Linear Generator platform. You will utilize industry-standard design software for circuit simulation and layout. Experience with data acquisition systems and diagnostic hardware is beneficial for field troubleshooting and validation activities.

Practical Information

This role is eligible to remote work within the United States. Please confirm all details on the official application page before submitting your materials. The listed compensation is specific to the base salary for this position.

What you'll do

Please confirm all details on the official application page before submitting your materials.