Contract Technician - Manufacturing & Assembly

Protagonist Management LLC; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Exowatt is hiring contract Technicians to build and support power modules end to end. You will weld, fabricate, wire control boxes, and troubleshoot shop equipment in a dynamic, hands-on environment.

We seek workers with 3+ years in fabrication, proven welding skills, and the ability to read drawings. You must be able to lift 50 lbs and be authorized to work in the United States. Join a fast-growing energy tech team in Austin.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on technician, fabrication, or manufacturing experience.
• Demonstrated welding skill (MIG and/or TIG) with ability to pass a weld test.
• Metal fabrication experience — capable with shears, brakes, saws, grinders, and drill presses.
• Ability to read and work from mechanical drawings, schematics, and wiring diagrams.
• Experience wiring low-voltage control panels and terminating conductors cleanly.
• Practical troubleshooting on rotating or pressure equipment (pumps, compressors, chillers, HVAC).
• Able to lift 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and work in a shop environment.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Perform MIG and TIG welding on carbon steel, stainless, and aluminum to print and spec.
• Fabricate sheet metal and structural components — layout, cutting, forming, drilling, grinding, finishing.
• Assemble mechanical parts and subassemblies from drawings and BOMs.
• Build electrical control boxes: panel layout, wire routing, harness assembly, labeling, testing.
• Troubleshoot, service, and maintain shop and process equipment including pumps and chillers.
• Use calipers, micrometers, and dial indicators to verify work.
• Document build steps, record deviations, and feed issues back to engineering.
• Follow safety, lockout/tagout, and PPE requirements.

Skills

MIG welding

TIG welding

Reading drawings

Mechanical fabrication

Troubleshooting

Safety compliance

Tools

Calipers

Micrometers

Dial indicators

Sheet metal tools

Job description

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 hiring Contract Technicians to build and support our power modules end to end: welding and fabricating structural components, assembling mechanical subsystems, wiring control boxes, and keeping shop equipment running. This is hands-on work across a range of disciplines. You will not be doing the same task every day.

What you will do

• Perform MIG and TIG welding on carbon steel, stainless, and aluminum to print and to spec

• Fabricate sheet metal and structural components — layout, cutting, forming, drilling, grinding, and finishing

• Assemble mechanical parts and subassemblies from drawings, BOMs, and work instructions

• Build electrical control boxes: panel layout, wire routing and termination, harness assembly, labeling, and continuity checks

• Troubleshoot, service, and maintain shop and process equipment including vacuum pumps, chillers, compressors, and related systems

• Use precision measuring tools (calipers, micrometers, dial indicators) to verify work

• Document build steps, record deviations, and feed issues back to engineering

• Follow all safety, lockout/tagout, and PPE requirements

Required qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on technician, fabrication, or manufacturing experience

• Demonstrated welding skill (MIG and/or TIG) with the ability to pass a weld test

• Metal fabrication experience — comfortable with shears, brakes, saws, grinders, and drill presses

• Ability to read and work from mechanical drawings, schematics, and wiring diagrams

• Experience wiring low-voltage control panels and terminating conductors cleanly

• Practical troubleshooting experience on rotating or pressure equipment (pumps, compressors, chillers, HVAC, or similar)

• Able to lift 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and work in a shop environment

• Legally authorized to work in the United States

Preferred qualifications

• AWS welding certification (D1.1, D17.1, or equivalent)

• Experience in energy, aerospace, industrial equipment, or a similar low-volume/high-mix build environment

• Familiarity with vacuum systems, thermal systems, or high-temperature components

• Machining experience (lathe, mill) or CNC exposure

• Experience with prototype or first-article builds where instructions are still being written

• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30

• Forklift or aerial lift certification

• Bilingual English/Spanish