Mechanical Engineer I

Helix Earth; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Health insurance

Paid time off

Flexible schedule

Job summary

Helix Earth in Houston, TX is seeking a hands-on mechanical engineer to design, build, and improve retrofit subsystem hardware from concept to early production. You will move parts from CAD to the field fast, iterating on sheet metal and assemblies with real test data.

You will report to the Director of Engineering and work on-site at our Houston headquarters, collaborating with teams across electrical, systems, refrigeration, and manufacturing to ship reliable hardware on schedule.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Strong CAD and hands-on fabrication experience.
• Experience with design of experiments and validation testing.
• Knowledge of DFM and DFA principles and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Design and iterate mechanical subsystems using CAD and calculations.
• Develop sheet metal, structural, packaging, and airflow components.
• Build and test prototypes via 3D printing, machining, and assembly.
• Instrument prototypes, run tests, troubleshoot, and improve designs.
• Create production-ready drawings with GD&T and BOMs.

Skills

Hands-on engineer

CAD modeling

Mechanics fundamentals

Design of experiments

Documentation discipline

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

GD&T

3D printing

LabVIEW

Python

Job description

Helix Earth (Houston, TX (Jersey Village) 77040) is a rapidly growing startup on a mission to combat climate change by transforming the way we cool our planet. We're looking for exceptional talent to join our journey. Born from innovations originally designed for NASA's space exploration, our groundbreaking solutions are now being adapted to revolutionize air conditioning energy efficiency. If you're eager to contribute to a greener future and be part of a team that's shaping the forefront of sustainable technology, then Helix Earth is the perfect place for you to make a difference. Join us in creating a cooler, cleaner planet for generations to come.

About the Role

This is a builder's job. You will design, build, and improve mechanical subsystems of our retrofit unit from concept through prototype and early production, delivering reliable, manufacturable hardware on real product-development schedules. A typical week might mean iterating a sheet metal design in SolidWorks on Monday, sending it to fab while you 3D print test fixtures midweek, partnering with our test and validation engineers to instrument the assembly on Thursday, and reviewing your own test data with the Director of Engineering on Friday.

Startups at this stage hand early-career engineers the kind of scope big companies hold back for a decade. You will start on real subsystems, grow your technical ownership and independence quickly, and see hardware you touched move from CAD to working product in the field within months, not years. You will report to the Director of Engineering and work on-site at our new Houston headquarters.

About You

• You are a hands-on mechanical engineer who moves comfortably between CAD, the shop floor, and the test stand.
• You have strong fundamentals in mechanics, materials, heat transfer, and fluids, and you use structured methods like design of experiments to let data make the call.
• You are fluent in SolidWorks or equivalent modern CAD, and you like taking your own designs into the shop to build them, break them, and make them better.
• You document as rigorously as you build. Drawings, BOMs, and revision control are habits, not chores.
• You collaborate naturally with electrical, systems, refrigeration, and manufacturing teammates to integrate clean, reliable subsystems on schedule.

Responsibilities

• Design and iterate mechanical subsystems using CAD, engineering calculations, and structured design methods.
• Develop sheet metal, structural, packaging, airflow, and other mechanical components and assemblies.
• Build and evaluate prototypes through 3D printing, machining, fabrication, assembly, and hands-on testing.
• Perform first-order structural, thermal, fluid, tolerance, and material analysis to support design decisions.
• Partner with test and validation engineers to instrument prototypes, execute tests, troubleshoot failures, and implement design improvements.
• Create production-ready drawings with GD&T, BOMs, and assembly documentation, and maintain designs under PDM revision control.
• Apply DFM and DFA principles, working with suppliers and manufacturing to improve fabrication methods, cost, quality, and scalability.
• Support prototype and EVT builds, including procurement, assembly readiness, issue resolution, and engineering changes.
• Participate in design reviews, FMEA and risk assessments, root cause investigations, and cross-functional product integration.
• Coordinate with electrical, systems, refrigeration, and advanced development engineers, plus technicians and suppliers, to deliver mechanical designs on schedule.

Qualifications

• B.S. or higher in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks or equivalent CAD software.
• Solid grasp of heat transfer, solid mechanics, and materials selection, with the ability to perform fundamental engineering calculations and interpret technical data.
• Demonstrated experience with design of experiments, prototyping, and structured validation testing.
• Hands-on fabrication experience, including 3D printing, machining, prototype assembly, and common shop tools.
• Strong documentation skills, including revision control, BOM management, and engineering change processes.
• Working knowledge of DFM and DFA principles and experience preparing designs for manufacturing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to HVAC, refrigeration, or other thermal-fluid systems.
• Experience configuring DAQ hardware or automating tests with LabVIEW, Python, or similar.
• Experience working directly with suppliers or contract manufacturers.
• Prior work in a startup, research lab, or competition team where you built and tested your own hardware.
• Competitive compensation package with equity options.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid time off, holidays, and a flexible work schedule.
• Collaborative, mission-driven culture with direct exposure to leadership.
• Career growth potential in a rapidly scaling startup.

No recruiters or staffing agencies, please.