Mechanical Design Engineer San Leandro, CA

Pacific Fusion Corporation; San Leandro (CA); On-site; USD 138,100 - 263,800; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity plan

6% employer 401k matching

Generous paid time off

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Job summary

Pacific Fusion Corporation in California seeks a Mechanical Design Engineer to design, develop, and validate mechanical components for advanced fusion energy systems. You will lead sealing strategies, perform FMEA, and guide system integration across multidisciplinary teams.

The role requires 5+ years in vacuum-seal design, CAD/FEM expertise, and strong problem-solving skills. Competitive compensation includes equity, healthcare, and generous PTO. Join us to push frontier fusion technology.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience with vacuum seals and systems across rough, high, and ultra-high vacuum environments.
• Proven proficiency in CAD, FEM, and engineering analysis tools.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze large, high-performance vacuum seals for water-to-air, air-to-high-vacuum, and water-to-high-vacuum transitions.
• Lead experimental design and testing in collaboration with internal teams, external vendors, and academic partners.
• Conduct research into novel sealing techniques; define, execute, and evaluate test campaigns.
• Perform FMEA and tolerance stack-up analyses to ensure seal reliability and system safety.
• Design test assemblies and risk-reduction.
• Review and present technical work across multidisciplinary teams; contribute to system-level integration discussions.
• Provide subject-matter expertise in sealing strategies and help guide the integration of systems in the target area.
• Document sealing processes, validation data, and lessons learned.
• Mentor and support junior engineers on design and integration challenges

Skills

CAD

FEM

Engineering analysis tools

Tolerance analysis

FMEA

Mechanical integration

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering field

Tools

CAD software

ANSYS or similar

Job description

Pacific Fusion was founded in 2023 with the mission to power the world with abundant, affordable, clean energy.

We are rapidly designing and building a pulser-driven inertial fusion system to achieve net facility gain (more fusion energy output than stored energy input). In parallel, we are developing the key components required to build affordable fusion systems.

Our plans are ambitious. We have raised over $900M so far from incredible investors, resourcing us to deliver on these plans. We are bringing together the best scientists, engineers, and operators from the fusion community, hard tech industry, and other sectors. We are united by a shared sense of urgency to provide clean power for the world, particularly managing climate change while meeting growing global energy demand. You can read more about us in this letter from our founders.

Why This Role Matters

As a Mechanical Design Engineer, you will help with the design, development, and integrationand validation of mechanical components and systems integral to our advanced fusion energy systems. This role requires a top-tier combination of technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and a proactive mindset to meet the exciting challenges in the field of fusion energy.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze large, high-performance vacuum seals for water-to-air, air-to-high-vacuum, and water-to-high-vacuum transitions
• Lead experimental design and testing in collaboration with internal teams, external vendors, and academic partners
• Conduct research into novel sealing techniques; define, execute, and evaluate test campaigns
• Perform FMEA and tolerance stack-up analyses to ensure seal reliability and system safety
• Design test assemblies and risk-reduction
• Review and present technical work across multidisciplinary teams; contribute to system-level integration discussions
• Provide subject-matter expertise in sealing strategies and help guide the integration of systems in the target area
• Document sealing processes, validation data, and lessons learned
• Mentor and support junior engineers on design and integration challenges

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience with a focus on vacuum seals and systems, including rough, high, and ultra-high vacuum environments
• Strong proficiency in CAD, FEM, and engineering analysis tools
• Proven expertise in tolerance analysis, FMEA, seal design, and mechanical integration

Pay Range:

$138,100 - $263,800 USD

Total Compensation & Benefits for Eligible Employees

• Equity plan
• 6% employer 401k matching
• Generous paid time off (including sick leave, vacation, paid family leave)
• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Actual base salary offered will be determined by: experience, skills, and work location. This range is for base salary, our total compensation includes equity and benefits. We welcome you to apply even if your expectations are outside our listed range.

Pacific Fusion is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Pacific Fusion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures and throughout employment. If you need assistance or any accommodation, please let us know.