Mechanical Associate

Stanford Climate Ventures; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Tynt is seeking a Mechanical Associate to lead hands-on device fabrication and build work for its light control platform. The role emphasizes owning problems end-to-end, designing, fabricating, testing, and iterating devices and processes with minimal direction.

You will prototype, refine assembly and lamination, review literature and patents, and bring new techniques to the table while supporting rapid, in-lab development in a fast-moving environment.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field, or equivalent industrial experience (MS welcome)
• 2+ years of hands-on industrial or applied device fabrication and build experience
• Demonstrated track record of owning fabrication or process work independently, from problem to working result, with minimal supervision
• Strong hands-on fabrication, prototyping, and mechanical build skills
• Ability to read and digest technical literature and translate it into practical build and process approaches
• Adaptability and comfort with shifting priorities, ambiguity, and rapid change
• Strong documentation habits and clear written and verbal communication

Responsibilities

• Independently design, fabricate, and test R&D devices, refining fabrication and assembly approaches as you learn
• Develop, troubleshoot, and improve build processes, including coating, lamination, and assembly, to increase reproducibility and throughput
• Design and build fixtures, tooling, and test setups as needed
• Review published literature and patents in relevant fields and apply findings to current builds and experiments, identifying techniques, materials, and methods worth testing at Tynt
• Bring new ideas and solutions to the team proactively, with the reasoning and evidence to back them
• Diagnose device and process failures independently and implement corrective actions
• Analyze test data, summarize findings clearly, and recommend next steps
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot lab and prototyping equipment
• Record results accurately in experimental databases and maintain a clean, safe lab environment

Skills

Hands-on fabrication

Independent problem ownership

Documentation

Reading & translating literature

Clear communication

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering or Materials Science

MS welcomed/advantage

Tools

3D printing

Laser cutting

Basic electronics

Lamination/Coating equipment

Job description

Role Overview

Tynt is seeking a Mechanical Associate to lead hands‑on device fabrication and build work within Tynt's dynamic light control platform. This role exists to increase Tynt's build and test throughput, and that only works if the person in it can own problems, not just tasks.

The successful candidate will take a build or process challenge and run with it: design and fabricate devices, develop and refine the assembly and lamination processes behind them, test and iterate, and come back with conclusions and a recommended next step. You will draw on published literature and patents to bring new techniques, materials, and approaches to the table rather than waiting to be handed a procedure. Senior engineers will set direction and priorities; you will determine how to get there.

This is a deeply hands‑on, in‑lab role with a high bar for independence. It is not an operator or task‑list position, not remote, and not simulation‑only. Tynt moves fast and our priorities shift as we learn, so we need someone who is comfortable with ambiguity and change. If you need every build specified for you, or you need the plan to stay fixed for months at a time, this is not the right role. If you see an ambiguous problem and instinctively start sketching the fixture or the process, it is.

Core Responsibilities

• Independently design, fabricate, and test R&D devices, refining fabrication and assembly approaches as you learn
• Develop, troubleshoot, and improve build processes, including coating, lamination, and assembly, to increase reproducibility and throughput
• Design and build fixtures, tooling, and test setups as needed
• Review published literature and patents in relevant fields and apply findings to current builds and experiments, identifying techniques, materials, and methods worth testing at Tynt
• Bring new ideas and solutions to the team proactively, with the reasoning and evidence to back them
• Diagnose device and process failures independently and implement corrective actions
• Analyze test data, summarize findings clearly, and recommend next steps
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot lab and prototyping equipment
• Record results accurately in experimental databases and maintain a clean, safe lab environment

Required Background & Experience

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field, or equivalent industrial experience (MS welcome)
• 2+ years of hands‑on industrial or applied device fabrication and build experience
• Demonstrated track record of owning fabrication or process work independently, from problem to working result, with minimal supervision
• Strong hands‑on fabrication, prototyping, and mechanical build skills
• Ability to read and digest technical literature and translate it into practical build and process approaches
• Adaptability and comfort with shifting priorities, ambiguity, and rapid change
• Strong documentation habits and clear written and verbal communication

Strongly Preferred Background

• Experience with thin‑film device fabrication, coating, or lamination on flexible substrates
• A jack‑of‑all‑trades profile: comfort crossing into formulation chemistry and solution‑based materials work is a major plus, since the ideal hire can move fluidly between the hardware and the chemistry
• Familiarity with electrochemical systems, batteries, or optoelectronic devices
• Experience with rapid prototyping equipment (3D printers, laser cutters, basic electronics)
• Prior ownership of a build program or workstream, not just contribution to one
• Prior work in a seed or Series A startup or other fast‑moving R&D environment

What This Role Is Not

• Not an operator, technician, or task‑list position
• Not a remote or hybrid position
• Not a simulation‑only, modeling, or documentation‑only role
• Not a role for learning independent fabrication from scratch
• Not a fit for someone who needs fixed, unchanging scope

Why This Role Matters at Tynt

Build and test throughput is a direct constraint on Tynt's R&D velocity and commercial momentum. Every device built and every process improved feeds partner commitments, internal milestones, and the company's transition from R&D to product‑ready systems. We have found that independence and adaptability are the difference between a hire that multiplies the team's output and one that consumes it, and this role is scoped, leveled, and compensated for the former. The person in this seat will have immediate, visible impact and direct access to senior technical leadership.

How to Apply

Send your resume and a brief note on a build or process problem you owned end to end, what you tried, what you learned, and what you would do next.