Mechanical Engineer

Bay Systems Consulting Inc.; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Bay Systems Consulting Inc. seeks a Mechanical Engineer - Water Systems in Berkeley, CA to lead the design, operation, and upgrade of cooling water systems for ALS-U and ALS facilities.

You will develop P&IDs, flow diagrams, hydraulic calculations, and equipment specs while ensuring compliance with ASME/ANSI codes and safety standards. The role requires cross-functional collaboration and rapid response to operational needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license is preferred or required.
• Experience designing, operating, and maintaining industrial water systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and engineering of cooling water systems for ALS-U and ALS operations.
• Develop system architectures, P&IDs, flow diagrams, hydraulic calculations, equipment specifications, and design documentation.
• Perform engineering analysis related to heat transfer, fluid flow, pump sizing, pressure drops, thermal stability, and water quality management.
• Specify and oversee procurement of pumps, heat exchangers, filtration systems, expansion tanks, piping systems, valves, instrumentation, and water treatment systems.
• Coordinate integration of water systems with accelerator, beamline, cryogenic, HVAC, and facility utility systems.
• Ensure designs comply with ASME, ANSI, California building and mechanical codes, laboratory engineering standards, and safety requirements.
• Oversee the daily operation of closed-loop LCW and DI water systems, monitoring parameters like resistivity, DO, and pH.
• Manage chemical dosing, UV sterilizers, deionizers, and RO systems to prevent biological growth, scaling, and corrosion.
• Develop and execute preventive maintenance schedules; troubleshoot issues including pump failures and leaks.
• Plan, design, and commission system expansions or retrofits; evaluate materials and instrumentation to maintain ultra-pure water standards.
• Ensure water systems adhere to environmental and safety standards.

Skills

Water systems design

Hydraulic calculations

P&ID development

Troubleshooting & root-cause analysis

Cross-functional coordination

Project management

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

AutoCAD / CAD software

EPICS controls experience

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Mechanical Engineer

Full Time Berkeley, California, Berkeley, CA, US

Position Description

Mechanical Engineer - Water Systems

Advanced Light Source Upgrade (ALS-U)

Position Summary

The Water Systems Engineer is responsible for the design, operation, maintenance, reliability, and continuous improvement of process and facility water systems supporting both the ALS-U project and ongoing ALS Operations. This position serves as the primary technical authority for cooling water infrastructure associated with accelerator systems, beamlines, experimental equipment, HVAC interfaces, and associated utility systems.

The role requires close coordination with engineering, facilities, operations, installation, controls, EH&S, and scientific staff to ensure water systems meet performance, reliability, safety, and operational availability requirements for a world-class synchrotron user facility.

• Lead the design and engineering of cooling water systems supporting ALS-U and ALS operational infrastructure.
• Develop system architectures, P&IDs, flow diagrams, hydraulic calculations, equipment specifications, and design documentation.
• Perform engineering analysis related to heat transfer, fluid flow, pump sizing, pressure drops, thermal stability, and water quality management.
• Specify and oversee procurement of pumps, heat exchangers, filtration systems, expansion tanks, piping systems, valves, instrumentation, and water treatment systems.
• Coordinate integration of water systems with accelerator, beamline, cryogenic, HVAC, and facility utility systems.
• Ensure designs comply with ASME, ANSI, California building and mechanical codes, laboratory engineering standards, and safety requirements.

• Oversee the daily operation of closed-loop LCW and DI water systems, monitoring critical parameters like resistivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH.
• Manage chemical dosing, UV sterilizers, mixed-bed deionizers, and reverse osmosis (RO) systems to prevent biological growth, scaling, and galvanic corrosion.
• Develop and execute preventative maintenance (PM) schedules. Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and chemical issues—including pump failures, resin degradation, and leaks.
• Plan, design, and commission system expansions or retrofits. Evaluate pipe materials (e.g., PVDF, electropolished stainless steel), valves, and instrumentation to maintain ultra-pure water standards.
• Ensure water systems adhere to strict environmental and industrial safety standards.

• Serve as system owner for operational water systems supporting ALS and ALS-U.
• Develop preventive and predictive maintenance programs for cooling water infrastructure.
• Monitor system performance, reliability, and lifecycle condition.
• Troubleshoot operational issues including flow instability, thermal excursions, equipment failures, water chemistry concerns, and leakage events.
• Coordinate outages, repairs, commissioning activities, and maintenance schedules to minimize operational impact.
• Support 24/7 operational reliability and rapid response during facility incidents or system failures.

• Manage water-system-related projects from conceptual design through installation and commissioning.
• Coordinate with contractors, vendors, installation teams, and facilities personnel.
• Develop project schedules, cost estimates, and technical scopes of work.
• Review installation quality and ensure conformance with engineering specifications.
• Support startup, testing, balancing, and commissioning activities.

• Maintain accurate engineering documentation including drawings, specifications, operating procedures, maintenance procedures, system inventories, and engineering calculations.
• Support configuration management and change control processes.
• Develop operational standards and best practices for facility water systems.

• Ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with Integrated Safety Management (ISM), EH&S requirements, laboratory policies, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Participate in hazard analyses, readiness reviews, and safety assessments.
• Support lockout/tagout planning and operational safety procedures.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant professional engineering experience, including substantial experience in the design, operation, and/or maintenance of industrial process or facility water systems; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Specific knowledge of the design, operation, and maintenance of the facility's Low Conductivity Water (LCW) and deionized water systems.

• Ensure optimal water purity, prevent equipment corrosion, manage chemical treatments, and lead troubleshooting efforts to minimize system downtime.
• Experience with closed-loop cooling water systems, process utilities, mechanical infrastructure, and industrial piping systems.
• Knowledge of hydraulic and thermal system design principles.
• Experience interpreting and producing engineering drawings and P&IDs.
• Familiarity with pumps, heat exchangers, cooling towers, water treatment systems, instrumentation, and controls.
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a complex operational environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Experience supporting large scientific facilities, accelerators, semiconductor facilities, or other high-availability technical infrastructure.
• Experience with EPICS or industrial controls systems integration.
• Familiarity with vibration-sensitive or thermally stable cooling systems.
• Experience with commissioning and startup of large utility systems.
• Knowledge of reliability-centered maintenance practices.
• Experience working in DOE national laboratory environments.

• Work is performed in office, laboratory, mechanical room, and construction environments.
• Occasional after-hours or weekend support may be required during shutdowns, commissioning, or operational events.
• Position may require access to confined mechanical spaces and industrial equipment areas.

This position reports to the ALS-U / ALS Engineering or Facilities Management organization and works closely with accelerator systems, facilities engineering, operations, and scientific staff across the laboratory.

This role is critical to ensuring reliable thermal and utility performance for ALS-U construction and long-term ALS operations. The Mechanical Engineer - Water Systems directly contributes to facility uptime, equipment protection, operational reliability, and successful delivery of the ALS-U project mission.