Lead Mechanical Engineer

Location: Remote (PST time zone preferred)
Team: Power Systems
 

The Impact You’ll Make:

1AP is looking for a Lead Mechanical Engineer to lead a team on packaging and thermal design of high power electronics in the areas of renewable energy, energy storage and more. You will work on mechanical architecture design, enclosure design and cooling of power semiconductors (air cooled and liquid cooled) in systems ranging from a few hundred of kilowatts to megawatts, from design concept to hand off to production.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of Mechanical Engineers to work on packaging and cooling of power electronics 


• Design and own mechanical and thermal architecture of power electronics systems


• Lead creation of drawings and maintain them in a PLM system Responsible for meeting cost and cooling targets 


• Work with suppliers/shops/vendors to procure materials and manufacturing processes


• Perform DFM and FMEA analysis, both internal and with external suppliers Lead FEA analysis in structural and thermal/CFD areas using Ansys or similar 


• Work with Power Electronics engineers to meet electrical parameter targets Interface with production teams for final hand off

The Skills You Bring:

• Bachelor’s or higher Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or a related field


• Minimum of 8 years of experience in power electronics packaging and thermal design


• Experience with CAD systems (Creo, Solidworks or similar) using PLM systems


• Proficient in 3D modeling and generation of CAD drawings


• Knowledge of sheet metal, extrustion and welding


• Familiar with structural design using FEA software


• Familiar with structural design using FEA software


• Proficient in thermal design, both air cooling and liquid cooling, for power semiconductor heat dissipation


• Capable of managing suppliers, vendors and prototyping shops


• Knowledge of harnessing, cabling, and high amperate bus bar design


• Experienced with surface finishes such as coating, plating, etc


• Good communication and team work skills to work in a fast paced environment.

Nice to Have:

• Experience in packaging and thermal design of power electronics ranging from 100kW  to 1MW


• Experience in areas of PV (solar) inverters, EV chargers, battery storage or similar


• Experience in low and high volume production


• Basic understanding of electric fundamentals

Benefits and Perks:

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  Competitive Compensation Package

  
  


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  Remote Flexibility with 5-15% travel to sites as needed

  
  


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  Health Insurance: We offer 100% coverage of employee premiums under a Gold-level PPO plan. Dental & Vision Insurance: 50% of employee premiums are covered.

  
  


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  Retirement Plan: A 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.

  
  

Additional Information:

Minimum salary of $155,000 to maximum salary of $210,000 + equity + benefits.

The range provided is 1AP’s reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as location, experience, training, skills, and abilities. Consult with your Recruiter during the initial call to determine a more targeted range based on these job-related factors.

About 1st Avenue Power:

At 1st Avenue Power, we are on a mission to deliver simple, fast-to-deploy, customer-centric and intelligent power systems leveraging the abundance of solar to provide inexpensive and reliable clean energy to global customers from data centers to energy starved communities around the world. We envision a future where every community, business, and nation thrives on the limitless potential of clean energy, united in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable world.

You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, one of the most successful clean energy technology innovators and entrepreneurs who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as “8minute Solar Energy“), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 17% of Los Angeles’ power.  

When Tom sold his interest in Avantus’ development business  to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night. 

Tom’s family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue’s advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.

1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process. 

Join our team and make a real difference in the world.

[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]