Hands-On Test Engineer - Thermal-Fluid Rigs

Ecotal; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Ecotal seeks a Test Engineer to build, instrument, and operate high-temperature, high-pressure test systems and supporting rigs. You will design, assemble, and run test loops, select sensors, and develop procedures from plans to execution.

The role emphasizes hands-on fabrication, instrumentation, and data-driven decisions in an energy tech context. The ideal candidate has 3–7 years of hands-on test experience with thermal-fluid hardware and familiarity with LabVIEW, Python, PLCs, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Roughly 3–7 years of directly relevant test engineering, experimental engineering, or hands-on systems experience preferred.
• Experience building, instrumenting, commissioning, or operating physical test rigs, test stands, or pressurized systems.
• Experience with thermal-fluid systems, heat transfer, heat exchangers, fluid loops, high-pressure systems, or related hardware.
• Familiarity with DAQ, instrumentation, controls, LabVIEW, Python, PLCs, HMI systems, VFDs, or industrial automation platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design, assemble, commission, and operate thermal-hydraulic test loops, pressurized flow rigs, and supporting test systems.
• Select and integrate pumps, valves, sensors, instrumentation, and supporting hardware for test campaigns.
• Develop and work from P&IDs, test plans, run sheets, commissioning procedures, and test documentation.
• Wire, configure, calibrate, and troubleshoot instrumentation including thermocouples, RTDs, pressure transducers, and flow meters.
• Build, maintain, and troubleshoot DAQ and automated control systems using LabVIEW, Python, PLCs, or similar platforms.
• Operate high-temperature, high-pressure water, steam, gas, cryogenic, hydraulic, or pneumatic systems safely.
• Execute test campaigns end-to-end, including shakedown testing, data collection, post-test analysis, and reporting.
• Support hands-on heat-transfer, heat-exchanger, thermal-fluid, or two-phase flow testing.
• Apply strong safety discipline around pressure systems, lab operations, lockout/tagout, and test procedures.
• Use experimental data to validate models, compare against analysis, and support engineering decisions.
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Hands-on builder

Troubleshooting

Fabrication

Data analysis

Safety discipline

Education

Bachelors/Masters in ME/AE/NE/ChemEng

Tools

LabVIEW

Python

PLCs

HMI systems

VFDs

DAQ

Job description

Ecotal seeks a Test Engineer to build, instrument, and operate high-temperature, high-pressure test systems and supporting rigs. You will design, assemble, and run test loops, select sensors, and develop procedures from plans to execution.

The role emphasizes hands-on fabrication, instrumentation, and data-driven decisions in an energy tech context. The ideal candidate has 3–7 years of hands-on test experience with thermal-fluid hardware and familiarity with LabVIEW, Python, PLCs, and