Mechanical Design Engineer — Austin, TX (Temp - Local Candidates Only)

Enphase Energy, Inc.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 59,236 - 89,544; Full time

Job summary

Enphase Energy, Inc. in Austin, TX is seeking a temporary Mechanical Design Engineer (Senior or Staff) to prototype and assemble power electronics hardware, including solid‑state transformers and enclosure packaging. This onsite contractor role focuses on hands‑on fabrication, not concept design.

You translate concepts into physical prototypes, assemble hardware, source parts, and coordinate with vendors to deliver units on schedule while maintaining documentation.

Qualifications

• Hands-on prototype building and mechanical fabrication experience.
• BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years (Senior) or 10+ years (Staff) of hands-on design in high-power electronics.
• Prototype builder at heart; hands-on fabrication on the shop floor.
• Independent problem solver with ambiguous requirements.
• Electromechanical assembly experience in power electronics.
• Busbar fabrication experience.
• Wire harness build experience.
• Mechanical packaging for electronics.
• Connector systems knowledge.
• Manufacturing-savvy; familiarity with sheet metal, CNC, molding, stamping, or die casting.

Responsibilities

• Build and assemble prototype systems from engineers’ designs and deliver hardware ready for test.
• Fabricate, assemble, and rework electromechanical prototypes including enclosures and busbars.
• Iterate prototypes quickly, identify issues, and implement fixes on the bench.
• Source parts, coordinate with vendors, and deliver completed assemblies on schedule.
• Interface with sheet metal shops, machine shops, and contract manufacturers.
• Wire harness assembly, routing, and verification per drawings.
• Fabricate busbars per engineering drawings.
• Design and build test fixtures for Hi-Pot, partial discharge, corona, vibration, and IP testing.
• Create/update 3D models and manufacturing drawings in SolidWorks.
• Generate BOMs and coordinate with supply chain.
• Maintain documentation: as-built records and test reports.

Skills

Prototype builder

Independent problem solver

Electromechanical assembly

Busbar fabrication

Wire harness build

Mechanical packaging for electronics

Connector systems knowledge

Manufacturing-savvy builder

Education

BS/MS Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Enphase Energy is a global energy technology company and a leading provider of solar, battery, and electric vehicle charging products. Founded in 2006, our innovative microinverter technology revolutionized solar power, making it a safer, more reliable, and scalable energy source. Today, the Enphase Energy System enables users to make, use, save, and sell their own power. Enphase is also one of the most successful and innovative clean energy companies in the world, with more than 80 million products shipped across 160 countries.

Join our dynamic teams designing and developing next‑gen energy technologies and help drive a sustainable future!

About the Role

The Enphase Power Systems Innovation team in the office of the CTO is responsible for defining, prototyping, and supporting Enphase’s Solid State Transformer product line. We are seeking a temporary Mechanical Design Engineer (Senior or Staff level) to build and iterate on prototype systems for medium‑voltage power conversion platforms, including solid‑state transformers (SSTs) and associated enclosure and skid‑level packaging. The temp position will be required to be onsite in our Austin, TX location.

This is a hands‑on prototyping, design and execution role. The contractor will translate engineers’ design concepts into physical prototype assemblies, working under the direction of the mechanical engineering lead. The primary focus is building, assembling, and iterating on prototype hardware—not originating design concepts. This is a contractor position, not a full‑time employment offer.

What You Will Do

• Build and assemble prototype systems from engineers’ design concepts—translate sketches, 3D models, and specifications into physical hardware, delivering assembled prototype units ready for test
• Hands‑on fabrication, assembly, and rework—work directly on electromechanical prototype assemblies including enclosures, busbars, heatsinks, wiring harnesses, and mounting structures
• Rapid prototype iteration—identify fit and assembly issues during builds, propose practical fixes, and implement changes on the bench to keep development moving
• Execute engineers’ design ideas end‑to‑end—source parts, coordinate with vendors, fabricate components, and deliver completed assemblies on schedule
• Vendor and shop interface—work with sheet metal vendors, machine shops, and contract manufacturers to procure prototype parts on tight timelines
• Wire harness builds—connector termination, cable routing, strain relief, labeling, and point‑to‑point verification per harness drawings
• Busbar fabrication—cutting, bending, drilling, insulating, and installing busbar assemblies per engineering drawings
• Test fixture design and build—create fixtures for Hi‑Pot, partial discharge, corona, vibration, and ingress protection testing
• CAD support for prototype builds—create and modify 3D models and detailed manufacturing drawings (SolidWorks preferred) as needed to support fabrication
• BOM and parts tracking—generate BOMs, track prototype parts, and coordinate with supply chain for component specifications and vendor drawings
• Documentation—complete as‑built records, build logs, test reports, and design file maintenance in the company PDM/PLM system

Who You Are and What You Bring

• A demonstrated track record of excellence in hands‑on prototype building and mechanical fabrication
• BS/MS Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline
• Experience: Senior (5+ years) or Staff (10+ years) of hands‑on mechanical design and prototyping in power electronics, power conversion, or analogous high‑power electrical products
• Minimum Skills, Knowledge, and Special Attributes
• Prototype builder at heart—you are as comfortable on the shop floor building assemblies as you are behind a screen reviewing drawings; hands‑on fabrication is your primary mode of work
• Independent problem solver—ability to work effectively on early‑stage product development efforts with ambiguous requirements and tasks
• Electromechanical assembly expertise—significant experience building and integrating electrical support equipment for power electronics, power conversion, or analogous high‑power electrical products
• Busbar fabrication proficiency—hands‑on experience with conductor sizing, laminated busbar stack‑ups, insulation systems, and mechanical mounting methods
• Wire harness build experience—routing, connector and terminal crimping, wire gauge selection, and point‑to‑point verification
• Mechanical packaging for electronics—experience assembling packaging for electronic boards, including shock and vibration isolation, EMI shielding, and board‑level interconnects
• Connector systems knowledge—power and signal connectors, contact ratings, environmental sealing, keying, and mating cycle durability
• Manufacturing‑savvy builder—you understand sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, injection molding, stamping, and die casting well enough to flag issues and work effectively with manufacturing partners

Work Location

Austin, TX

The hourly rate range for this position is $43 to $65 and may vary based on experience, skills, and location. This position final compensation determined in accordance with applicable laws and internal equity.