Electrolyzer Mechanical Design Engineer El Segundo, CA

General Galactic; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

PTO

401k

Stock options

Job summary

General Galactic is seeking an Electrolyzer Mechanical Design Engineer to lead development, scale-up, and integration of high‑pressure water electrolyzer tech for Triton, our core system enabling mobility in space. You will own Triton designs from requirements definition through prototyping, qualification, and flight while applying fluids, thermal analysis, and electrochemistry to real hardware.

This hands-on role requires breaking problems to first principles, performing design and test

Qualifications

• BS in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or a related technical field.
• 2+ years designing, analyzing, building, or testing complex electrochemical, mechanical, fluid, or thermal systems.
• Hands-on experience designing, assembling, or testing electrochemical stacks, batteries, or similarly complex sealed hardware.
• Familiarity with electrolytic cells, fuel cells, batteries, or other stacked electrochemical/thermal hardware.
• Strong fundamentals in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, compressible flow, mechanical design, and structural load paths.
• First-principles problem solving and ability to work with partial information.
• Proficient in hand calculations, spreadsheets, Python, MATLAB, CAD, FEA, and CFD.
• Strong CAD, drawing creation, tolerancing, material selection, manufacturability, assembly, and testability.
• Experience with high-pressure systems, hazardous fluids, oxygen/hydrogen systems, leak testing, and safe test operations.
• Experience in a fast-paced startup or similar environment with high ownership and hands-on collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Own electrochemical hardware design, testing, and analysis to redefine mobility in space.
• Design, analyze, build, and test electrolyzer components and integrated stacks for performance and robustness.
• Use hand calculations and simulations to optimize stack sealing and electrochemical efficiency.
• Perform root-cause analysis of prototyping and production issues and implement data-driven design improvements.
• Contribute to Genesis systems including fuel cells, dehumidifiers, and thermal control systems.
• Conduct mechanical, fluid, and thermal analyses for sizing and characterization.
• Create drawings, interface definitions, assembly procedures, test procedures, and engineering documentation.
• Support testing of fluid and propulsion systems.
• Lead system safety assessments and hazard controls.

Skills

First-principles problem solving

CAD

Data analysis

Hands-on hardware testing

Python

MATLAB

Education

BS in mechanical engineering or chemical engineering

Tools

CAD

Python

MATLAB

FEA

CFD

Job description

General Galactic designs, builds, and flies advanced spacecraft that redefine what’s possible beyond Earth. Led by former SpaceX, Varda, Impulse, and Relativity engineers, our vision is to dominate cislunar space and build the railway to Mars – expanding access to high-energy orbits and enabling the next generation of missions along the way. Based in Los Angeles, California, we’re leveraging our paradigm-shifting water-based technology to reshape the space domain for good.

Job Description

As an Electrolyzer Mechanical Design Engineer, you will lead development, scale‑up, and integration of novel stack designs for Triton, General Galactic’s high‑pressure water electrolyzer. Triton is the core of Genesis and enables the unprecedented mobility of our Seldon and Dreadnought spacecraft. You will own Triton designs from requirements definition and architecture through prototyping, qualification, and flight. You will have extreme ownership over your work, move quickly, and operate with high agency. As we grow, there will be opportunities to expand your role with the company.

This is a hands‑on engineering role for someone who can apply mechanical design fundamentals, fluids, thermal analysis, and electrochemistry to real hardware. To unlock step changes in electrolyzer performance, you will break problems down to their core fundamentals then design, build, and deploy solutions in the form of novel cell and stack architectures. You should be comfortable moving between first‑principles analysis, detailed mechanical design, hardware build, test operations, and post‑test data review.

Responsibilities

• Own electrochemical hardware design, testing, and analysis at General Galactic to redefine mobility in space
• Design, analyze, build, and test electrolyzer components and integrated stacks, with a focus on performance, mechanical robustness, and cost‑effectiveness
• Leverage hand calculations and simulation tools to optimize stack sealing performance and electrochemical efficiency
• Conduct root‑cause analysis of issues in prototyping and production to troubleshoot and make data‑driven design improvements
• Contribute to other Genesis systems, including fuel cells, dehumidifiers, and thermal control systems
• Perform mechanical, fluid, and thermal analyses for system sizing and characterization
• Create drawings, interface definitions, assembly procedures, test procedures, and engineering documentation for electrolyzer and affiliated hardware
• Support testing of fluid and propulsion systems
• Lead system safety assessments and hazard controls

Requirements

• BS in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or a related technical field
• 2+ years of experience designing, analyzing, building, or testing complex electrochemical, mechanical, fluid, or thermal systems
• Hands‑on experience designing, assembling, or testing electrochemical stacks, batteries, or similarly complex sealed hardware
• Familiarity with electrolytic cells, fuel cells, batteries, plate‑and‑frame heat exchangers, or other stacked electrochemical/thermal hardware
• Strong fundamentals in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, compressible flow, mechanical design, and structural load paths
• First‑principles approach to problem solving even with incomplete or partial information
• Ability to perform practical engineering analysis spanning hand calculations, spreadsheets, Python, MATLAB, CAD, FEA, and CFD
• Strong mechanical design skills, including CAD, drawing creation, tolerancing, material selection, manufacturability, assembly, and testability
• Familiarity with high‑pressure systems, hazardous fluids, oxygen compatibility, hydrogen systems, leak testing, cleanliness, and safe test operations
• Experience in a fast‑paced startup environment or similar, with high agency, strong ownership, and willingness to work hands‑on across disciplines

Benefits

Benefits include medical/vision/dental/PTO/401k/stock options, and more!

Your salary and incentives will be determined individually on the basis of the following considerations: job‑related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Additional Information

This position requires access to information protected under U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and/or the Export Administration Regulations. As such, U.S. person status (including U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, individuals granted U.S. asylum status, or individuals admitted in U.S. refugee status) is a required qualification for this position.

General Galactic Technologies Corporation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.