Mechanical Engineer – Optical Systems (Miami, FL)

Protagonist Management LLC; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Exowatt is hiring a Mechanical Engineer to own the design‑to‑commissioning lifecycle of tracker hardware. You’ll design optomechanical assemblies, build prototypes, test and calibrate systems, and troubleshoot electromechanical hardware in a fast‑paced optics team in Miami.

You’ll apply first‑principles analysis, GD&T, and CAD workflows (Creo/SolidWorks) while collaborating with controls, software, and vendors. Relocation assistance is provided as needed.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 1+ years hands-on build or design experience with real hardware.
• Strong fundamentals in math and physics; first-principles approach.
• Knowledge of parametric CAD tools: Creo and SolidWorks.
• Understanding of GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis.
• Familiarity with fabrication processes and DFM/DFA principles.
• Ability to back up simulations with hand calculations and root-cause analysis.
• Track record building real hardware via internships, projects, or teams.
• Willingness to own full design-to-build cycle and work outdoors in Miami heat.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and align optomechanical assemblies end-to-end for tracker platforms.
• Assemble prototypes, fixtures, and alignment features; iterate quickly.
• Support test stands, instrumentation, calibration, and DAQ integration.
• Troubleshoot electromechanical systems with meters, scopes, and Python.
• Collaborate with controls, software, and supply chain teams; author docs.
• Develop CAD models, drawings, and GD&T packages for fabrication.
• Perform structural analysis with hand-calcs and ANSYS FEA; wind loads per ASCE 7‑22.
• Maintain subsystem BOMs; liaise with vendors and fabrication shops.
• Present work in design reviews; grow into ownership of subsystems.

Skills

Hands-on build/design

CAD (Creo/SolidWorks)

GD&T (ASME Y14.5)

First-principles reasoning

Root-cause analysis

Python debugging

DFM/DFA concepts

Aerospace/Mechanical fundamentals

Ansys/SAP2000 familiarity

Communication writing

AI coding agents familiarity

Education

BS or MS in Mechanical/Aerospace Eng

Tools

PTC Creo

SolidWorks

ANYSYS

SAP2000

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Exowatt is revolutionizing the energy landscape for the AI era with our groundbreaking P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. Founded in 2023 and backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis, we’re committed to providing clean, modular, and scalable power that meets the rapidly growing demands of AI infrastructure. Our mission is to make sustainable renewable energy always available and almost free, enabling technological advancement while protecting our planet.

We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer to join our optics team. The team owns the full design‑to‑commissioning lifecycle for our tracker hardware: precision optical elements and the structures that position them, solar tracking architectures, structural analysis under wind and gravity loading, and the instrumentation that turns prototypes into measured systems. The core problem is deceptively hard: hold optical precision on a large structure that moves all day, outdoors, under wind, gravity, and thermal swings, all at a cost that can scale to thousands of units.

This position is based in Miami, FL. If selected, relocation to Miami, FL is required. Exowatt provides relocation assistance.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and align optomechanical assemblies for the tracker platforms (optic mounts, frames, and alignment and adjustment features), owning them end to end: idea, CAD model, fabricated parts, assembled and working hardware
• Build hardware hands‑on: assemble prototypes and test articles, fixture and align optics, work through fit‑up issues at the bench, and turn what you learn into the next design revision fast
• Support test stand build, instrumentation, and commissioning: sensor mounting, wiring, calibration, DAQ integration, first light, and commissioning runs
• Troubleshoot electromechanical systems hands‑on: wiring harnesses, sensors, motor drivers, encoders, microcontrollers, and the code talking to them; multimeter, oscilloscope, and Python debugger in the same afternoon, root‑causing failures and driving corrective actions back into the design
• Work AI‑native: drive the scripting, analysis, and documentation around your hardware with AI coding agents, and help make the team's test and simulation infrastructure agent‑ready so campaigns can run overnight without a human babysitting them
• Build and revise CAD models in PTC Creo and SolidWorks; develop drawing packages with GD&T (ASME Y14.5) for fabrication, weldments, and assemblies, run tolerance stack‑up analyses, and iterate against fabrication feedback
• Support structural analysis across tracker platforms: first‑principles hand calculations, ANSYS FEA for detailed analysis, SAP2000 for code‑checked wind‑load combinations under ASCE 7‑22
• Maintain subsystem‑level BOMs and handle vendor follow‑ups: slew drives, optical components, fasteners, sheet‑metal fabrication
• Document analysis, build progress, and decisions on the team wiki: methodology pages, test plans, weekly status, design memos
• Present and defend your own work in design reviews, growing into ownership of larger subsystems over time
• Collaborate with controls, software, and supply chain teams, and with external engineering partners and vendors

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline
• 1+ years of hands‑on build or design experience with real hardware; internships, co‑ops, research labs, and major project‑team roles count
• Strong fundamentals in math and physics: you reason from first principles, estimate before you compute, and check every result against known limits before you believe it; we probe this hard in interviews
• Working knowledge of a parametric CAD tool; the team uses PTC Creo and SolidWorks
• Working understanding of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and tolerance stack‑up analysis
• Familiarity with common fabrication processes (machining, sheet metal, welding, 3D printing) and design‑for‑manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA) principles
• Ability to back up simulation with first‑principles hand calculations, and to run structured root‑cause analysis when hardware misbehaves
• A track record of building real hardware: internships, capstone projects, FSAE, solar car teams, robotics, makerspaces, or independent builds all count; bench experience matters more than coursework grades
• The drive to own the full cycle yourself: take an idea to CAD, to built hardware, to test, learn from the mistakes, and iterate quickly rather than handing steps off to others
• Comfort with shop and bench work: hand tools, fixturing, assembly, and careful mechanical work on precision hardware
• Coursework or hands‑on project experience in solid mechanics, statics, dynamics, and finite element analysis
• Comfort troubleshooting electromechanical systems hands‑on: wiring harnesses, sensors, motor drivers, encoders, microcontrollers, and the firmware or software talking to them
• Fluency with AI coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, or similar) as a daily engineering tool: you use them to write most of your code, and you own every line they produce, reviewed, tested, and understood; expect us to ask you to show how you work with AI the same way we ask about your bench skills
• The instinct to make work agentic: you can decompose a workflow into steps an agent can execute, with clean interfaces, verifiable checkpoints, and guardrails, and you have the judgment to catch an agent when it is confidently wrong; engineers who can direct several agents at once will outrun those who type everything themselves, and we hire the former
• Strong written communication: you can document your work clearly enough that the next engineer can pick it up without asking you
• The temperament to hold your ideas loosely: designs evolve weekly and priorities shift on real evidence; engineers who can let go and update move fastest

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience assembling or aligning optical or precision mechanical hardware
• Experience with motion components and mechanisms: bearings, actuators, gear and slew drives, bolted and welded joint design
• Exposure to design validation and reliability practices: DFMEA, DVP&R, or environmental qualification testing
• Coursework or research in optical systems, photonics, heat transfer, or solar energy
• Hands‑on experience with ANSYS, SAP2000, or another FEA package beyond classroom problem sets
• Python or MATLAB scripting: kinematics, data reduction, plotting
• Experience building agentic systems around real hardware or simulation: agents driving instruments, CAD, or simulation models through tool interfaces (MCP or similar), running parameter sweeps overnight, and summarizing the results; or any project where you gave an AI real levers and made its output trustworthy
• Lab or test‑stand experience involving DAQ, instrumentation, or calibration
• Familiarity with controls fundamentals: open‑loop versus closed‑loop, sensor fusion concepts
• Interest in solar energy, heliostats, or large‑scale renewable infrastructure

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work extended hours and occasional weekends when builds, test campaigns, or program deadlines demand it
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted, and to work safely with shop tools, ladders, and lifts with appropriate PPE
• Ability to work outdoors in Miami heat during assembly and field testing
• Occasional travel to fabricators, vendors, and field sites

What We Offer

Competitive salary and equity options.

Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.

A dynamic work environment that fosters creativity and innovation.

Opportunities for professional growth and development in a rapidly evolving industry.

Relocation assistance.