Senior Mechanical Engineer, Marine Operations

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

Our core technology is the node, a device that produces energy in the ocean’s harshest conditions for years at a time without human maintenance or intervention.

Once our nodes leave the manufacturing facility, they must be deployed, operated, and maintained safely and reliably across vast oceanic regions—all at an unprecedented scale and at reduced cost. As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, Marine Operations, you will play a critical role in overcoming these challenges by designing, building, and testing bespoke support equipment that facilitates automated deployment, retrieval, inspection, and maintenance of our offshore assets.

In this role, you will drive the development of essential mechanical assets from cradle to grave. You will conduct trade studies to identify optimal system architectures, perform engineering analyses, create detailed designs, and bring these designs to operational readiness. Additionally, you will support offshore operators utilizing these tools through initial commissioning and sustaining engineering.

Engineers who are hands-on and solutions-oriented, with exposure to the breadth of mechanical disciplines, will thrive in this role. A passion for lifelong learning is a requisite. If you thrive in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment and are eager to develop the next generation of offshore energy infrastructure, we want to hear from you.

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. 

We strive to be the best engineering team on the planet, and we compensate our team accordingly.

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 the Responsible Engineer for the development of novel automated marine support systems (aspects of these systems may include steel structures/weldments, mechanisms, pneumatics/hydraulics, and industrial controls/data acquisition).
• Complete trade studies to identify preferred architectures/requirements.
• Carry out relevant engineering analysis individually and manage the support of subject matter experts as required.
• Detail the design of mechanical equipment (CAD modeling, development of schematics, etc.).
• Execute and oversee the fabrication, testing, and commissioning of critical assets.
• Support offshore operations through initial commissioning of new systems and sustaining engineering.

Required Qualifications

• BS or higher in mechanical engineering.
• 5+ years of experience owning the development of novel hardware from concept through commissioning.
• Excellent understanding of engineering fundamentals relevant to marine systems (welded structures, mechanical assemblies, hydraulics/pneumatics, industrial automation and data acquisition, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems that lack clear examples or well-defined requirements.
• Capable of managing critical vendor relations.
• Thrives in a culture of personal ownership.
• Competent with 3D modeling software and design practices (Siemens NX strongly preferred).

Desired Qualifications

• Experience conducting operations offshore.
• Leadership experience (engineering development, fabrication efforts, or operations).
• Ability to perform structural FEA.
• Experience designing hardware utilized in an offshore environment.
• Experience interfacing with relevant marine regulatory bodies (classification societies, USCG, etc.).
• General understanding of the marine industry (business practices, operations, major vendors, etc.).

Additional Requirements

• Travel to vendors and test sites as needed.
• Intermittently able to work longer hours and on 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.
• Ability to travel offshore periodically to support the initial commissioning and first use of new equipment.

Compensation and Benefits

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

• Cash compensation of $175,000–$200,000.
• 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.