Embedded Controls Systems Engineering Manager

Ring Inc; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 198,000; Full time

Job summary

Mainspring Energy in Menlo Park, CA is seeking an experienced Systems Engineering Manager - Embedded Controls to lead the architectural definition, requirements breakdown, and systems-level integration of our electro-mechanical product ecosystem.

You will own the Systems Engineering V-model across digital and control stack, guiding a multidisciplinary team to translate product goals into precise requirements, ICDs, and interface definitions while collaborating with Mechanical and Electrical

Qualifications

• 8+ years total engineering experience in complex connected physical systems with 2+ years in leadership
• Proven ability to own the Systems V-model and write ICDs
• Deep knowledge of closed-loop control theory and embedded RTOS systems

Responsibilities

• Lead top-down requirements engineering and allocate budgets across Controls, Embedded Software, and Cloud layers
• Author and maintain ICDs, system state machines, and HIL test plans
• Drive cross-functional alignment with Mechanical and Electrical teams and establish modern SE processes

Skills

Systems V-model

C/C++

RTOS

HIL testing

Team leadership

Model-based systems engineering

Control theory (PID/state-space)

Cloud architecture patterns

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering

Tools

MQTT

gRPC

OTA architectures

Telemetry pipelines

Job description

About Mainspring

Mainspring Energy manufactures and delivers fuel-flexible, low-emissions local power solutions that rapidly add new capacity and deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power. The company began commercial shipments of its Mainspring Linear Generators in 2020 and today has hundreds of megawatts in advanced development and field operations for leading Fortune 500 companies, data centers, and utilities. Mainspring also partners with global energy leaders including AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, Schneider Electric, and more.

The core values that ground our work, guide our decisions, and connect us together:

• Pragmatic Optimism
• Excellence without Ego
• Proactive Collaboration

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineering Manager - Embedded Controls to lead the architectural definition, requirements breakdown, and systems-level integration of our complex electro-mechanical product ecosystem.

In this role, you will own the Systems Engineering V-model across our digital and control stack. You will lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for turning high-level product goals into precise functional requirements, allocation budgets, and Interface Control Documents (ICDs) spanning Control Algorithms, Embedded Firmware, and Cloud SW Platforms. While you will not manage mechanical CAD or structural design directly, you will act as the primary systems partner to our Mechanical and Electrical Engineering teams to ensure physical realities align seamlessly with our digital controls architecture.

Key Responsibilities

• 1. Systems Architecture & Requirements Decomposition
  • Lead top-down requirements engineering: translate product roadmap goals into technical system-level specifications, performance budgets (latency, power, bandwidth), and safety metrics
  • Own system-level functional breakdown and allocation across Controls, Embedded Software, and Cloud SW layers
  • Author and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs), system state machines, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test plans
  • Drive architectural trade studies balancing multiple solutions against customer and organizational needs
• 2. Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Alignment
  • Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of Systems and Controls Engineers
  • Drive tight technical alignment with partner engineering teams:
    • Embedded SW: Partner on RTOS task allocation, driver APIs, and execution time budgets
    • Cloud SW: Partner on telemetry schemas, remote command interfaces, edge-to-cloud security, and Over-the-Air (OTA) update frameworks
    • Mechanical & Electrical: Collaborate on sensor/actuator selection, dynamic plant modeling, pinouts, dynamic load limits, and thermal envelopes
  • Establish modern Systems Engineering processes (Model-Based Systems Engineering, automated requirement traceability, CI/CD for HIL testing)
• 3. Controls & Algorithmic Integration
  • Oversee the design, modeling (C++/Python), and validation of closed-loop control systems, state estimation, and sensor fusion algorithms
  • Ensure control models translate cleanly to target hardware execution without violating timing or memory constraints

Qualifications & Key Requirements

• Education: B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or a related quantitative field
• Experience: 8+ years total engineering experience in complex connected physical systems (e.g., robotics, autonomous systems, medical devices, IoT hardware, aerospace, or automotive), with 2+ years in technical leadership/people management
• Systems Mastery: Proven track record owning the Systems V-model, writing system specifications, defining ICDs, and conducting system-level trade studies
• Full-Stack Context:
  • Deep knowledge of closed-loop control theory (PID, state-space, trajectory planning, system identification).
  • Strong working knowledge of embedded real-time systems (C/C++, RTOS, SPI/I2C/CAN buses)
  • Practical understanding of cloud architecture patterns (MQTT/gRPC APIs, fleet management, telemetry pipelines, OTA architectures)
• Partner Alignment: Comfort working closely with Mechanical Engineers to incorporate physical dynamics, mass properties, and thermal/kinematic limits into digital system models

Nice-to-Have

• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering
• Familiarity with functional safety standards (e.g., ISO 26262, IEC 61508, or IEC 62304)
• Hands-on experience developing HIL automated test benches for system validation

$168,000 - $198,000 a year

This position is onsite at our Menlo Park HQ. The salary will be adjusted to reflect local market conditions based on employee location as well as the experience of the employee. Along with the base salary, Mainspring offers pre-IPO stock options + benefits.

Does your experience not meet all of our posted requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to positions unless they meet every listed requirement. At Mainspring, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, flexible, and collaborative environment, so if you want to help us transition the world to clean and affordable electricity, and don’t meet all posted requirements for a particular role, we’d still love to hear from you. Mainspring can sometimes be flexible enough to shift responsibilities for the right person, or otherwise identify open or upcoming roles that may better fit your professional background.

In more traditional words, Mainspring Energy, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

This compensation and benefits information is based on Mainspring Energy's estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future. We generally do not negotiate on salary once we have made an offer. The level of pay within the range will depend on a variety of job-related factors that may include location, relevant prior experience and/or education, or particular skills and expertise. New hires joining the company tend to be paid within the starting base pay range noted above, with opportunities to increase pay over time based on development of additional skills, competencies, and company-specific knowledge.