Engineering Technician

Mesodyne; Somerville (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Mesodyne, a leader in compact thermophotovoltaic generators, seeks an Engineering Technician to build, test, and refine hardware from jig setups to production fixtures. You will work closely with our engineering team to translate designs into repeatable processes and maintain documentation throughout manufacturing.

This role requires meticulous hands-on work, soldering electronics, assembling components, and logging QC data.

Qualifications

• Strong fine motor skills and precise hand-eye coordination.
• Clear, precise written work instructions and SOPs.
• Ability to log data and work with basic digital tools.
• Willingness to learn and adapt in a hands-on hardware environment.

Responsibilities

• Run fabrication and joining processes, including soldering and related methods.
• Perform electrical and mechanical assembly of components.
• Inspect parts and perform quality control checks against specs.
• Log QC results and process data accurately.
• Design and build custom jigs, fixtures, tools, and test stands with engineering.
• Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot lab and shop equipment.
• Write and maintain clear work instructions and SOPs.
• Flag anomalies and assist in investigations and resolutions.
• Support engineers in setting up experiments and test builds.
• Continuously look for ways to improve processes and documentation.

Skills

Fine motor skills

Hand-eye coordination

Written communication

Attention to detail

Quality-first mindset

Tools

Soldering

Shop equipment maintenance

CAD basics

3D printing for prototyping

Job description

Mesodyne builds compact, silent thermophotovoltaic generators — MIT-born LightCell tech that runs on any fuel and lasts 10x longer than batteries or engines. We serve industrial and defense customers with active contracts and a growing pipeline.

About the Role

As an Engineering Technician at Mesodyne, you'll work closely with our engineering team to build, test, and refine hardware — from custom jigs and fixtures to production and test setups. You'll run a wide range of fabrication and joining processes, keep our equipment and documentation in top shape, and help turn engineering designs into working, repeatable processes. This role is a great fit for someone who's meticulous with their hands, comfortable switching between different tools and processes, and just as comfortable writing a clear work instruction as they are running a piece of equipment.

What You'll Do

• Run a wide variety of fabrication and joining processes, including spot welding, vacuum furnace brazing, wire bonding for electronics packaging, electroplating, laser cutting, and similar processes
• Perform electrical and mechanical assembly, including electronics soldering
• Inspect parts and perform quality control checks to verify components and assemblies meet spec
• Log QC results and process data accurately and consistently
• Work with engineering to design and build custom jigs, fixtures, tools, and test stands
• Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot lab and shop equipment to keep it running reliably
• Write and maintain clear work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for processes you run
• Flag process anomalies or deviations, and help investigate and resolve them
• Support engineers in setting up and executing experiments and test builds
• Continuously look for ways to improve existing processes, fixtures, and documentation

What We're Looking For

• Strong fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination — precision work is core to this role
• Hands-on experience with electrical/mechanical assembly and electronics solderin
• Experience with one or more joining/fabrication processes such as spot welding, brazing, wire bonding, electroplating, or laser cutting (we'll train on the rest)
• Comfortable working with and maintaining shop/lab equipment
• Solid written communication skills — able to write clear, precise work instructions and SOPs
• Reasonably computer savvy; comfortable logging data and working in tools like Google Docs/Sheets
• A detail-oriented, quality-first mindset

Nice to Have

• Machine shop experience, including manual mill and lathe
• Basic CAD skills
• Experience with 3D printing for prototyping fixtures/tools
• Background in a lab, R&D, or production environment involving process development and characterization