Mechanical System Integration and Test Engineer

Heron Power

Scotts Valley (CA)

On-site

USD 90,000 - 140,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Job summary

Heron Power seeks a Mechanical System Integration and Test Engineer to architect, build, and operate fixtures and test infrastructure for medium‑voltage power converters. You will anchor the integration from architecture input through reliability sign‑off, owning test execution, data analysis, and failure investigation.

You will design mechanical fixtures, integration layouts, and packaging interfaces while advancing reliability through physics‑of‑failure models and controlled testing campaigns.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, or similar.
3+ years of full-time industry experience designing mechanical fixtures, test hardware, or electro-mechanical assemblies.
Strong experience with 3D CAD (CATIA V6/3DX preferred).
Experience designing fixtures or test setups for manufacturing, IP ingress, or shock/vibration.
Experience with reliability modeling and failure analysis on mechanical components.
Experience defining instrumentation and DAQ for long-duration testing.
Ability to manage interfaces between mechanical and electrical subsystems.
Hands-on test execution and early-architecture influence.

Responsibilities

Own the full test cycle for mechanical components: plan, fixture design, execution, and data analysis.
Develop physics-of-failure models translating stresses into degradation and lifetime.
Run IP, shock/vibration, and accelerated life testing hands-on.
Define instrumentation and DAQ plans for long-duration tests.
Lead root-cause analysis on mechanical failures and drive fixes.

Skills

3D CAD

Python

MATLAB

Test hardware design

Fixture design

Mechanical integration

Reliability modeling

Failure analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or mechatronics

Tools

CATIA V6/3DX

Python

Job description

What to Expect

Heron Power is a startup company building cutting-edge power electronics for the 21st-century grid. We aim to de-bottleneck the growth of electricity generation and consumption with scalable, innovative, and less costly hardware solutions, accelerating the electrification of everything.

Our first goal is to build better converters (inverters & rectifiers) to connect large-scale renewables, storage, and loads to the grid. Heron’s leadership team is made up of seasoned veterans who have designed and shipped gigawatts of power conversion products over the past decade.

We understand that no one individual knows everything. We will all learn a lot together and from each other. We strive to build a collaborative, enriching environment conducive to personal, technical, and career growth. You can expect to work in a dynamic environment, driven by first principles engineering, solving difficult problems—with a strong bias toward hands‑on execution and learning by doing.

Job Overview

The Systems Team at Heron unite the systems engineering, integration, reliability, testing, and failure analysis into a cohesive group across the design lifecycle of our products. Our goal is to be the technical conscience of the product — mastering how it works, why it works, and how it can fail — and setting new standards for architecture, integration, and validation in our industry. As a Mechanical System Integration and Test Engineer, you will architect, design, build, and operate the mechanical fixtures and test infrastructure that let us integrate, validate, and ship medium‑voltage power converters at volume.

This role owns the loop from: architecture input interface definition fixture and test stand design/build test execution failure analysis verified fix production readiness. If you thrive on owning complex system integration end to end, from a seat at the architecture table through reliability sign‑off, this role will be a great opportunity.

How You Will Contribute

Manufacturing & Test Fixture Design

Design, release mechanical fixtures, wiring diagrams, automated High Voltage connections, etc. for automated end‑of‑line and functional circuit testers.

Design and build assembly fixtures for shock and vibration testing.

Design and build Ingress Protection (IP) test setups, dust chambers, spray/water‑jet nozzles, immersion tanks, and enclosure mounting fixtures, per IEC 60529 test methods.

Mechanical Integration & Architecture

Create and maintain 3D system layouts, packaging studies, interface definitions, and 2D drawings

Track integration milestones (interface freeze, fixture readiness, first article build) and drive resolution of schedule risk.

Define and manage mechanical and packaging interfaces between subsystems, including enclosures, power electronics assemblies, busbars, cable routing, cooling systems, insulation, fasteners, and assembly hardware

Reliability & Environmental Test Development

Own the full test cycle for mechanical components: test plan, fixture/stand design, execution, data analysis, and report‑out.

Develop physics‑of‑failure models for mechanical components, translating mechanical, thermal, and environmental stresses into expected degradation and lifetime, with defined acceleration factors and failure criteria.

Run IP, shock/vibration, and accelerated life testing hands‑on, from bring‑up through full test campaigns.

Define instrumentation and DAQ plans (thermocouples, strain gauges, accelerometers, load cells) for long‑duration test campaigns.

Failure Analysis

Lead root cause analysis on mechanical failures (fasteners, seals, enclosures, structural elements), separating root cause from secondary damage.

Translate findings into design, material, or interface changes, and verify fixes through re‑test.

What Makes This Role Different

This role owns the fixtures, test stands, and reliability data that decide whether a design is provable, buildable, and testable, with a seat at the table when architecture is still being decided. You are the person who makes sure interfaces between subsystems don't fall through the cracks, and who turns failure physics into real test setups rather than reaching for an off‑the‑shelf tester.

What You Will Bring

We prioritize first principles thinking, hands‑on skill, and initiative over keywords. Domain‑specific experience will help determine the career level for each hire.

Must‑Have Requirements

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, or similar.

3+ years of full‑time industry experience designing mechanical fixtures, test hardware, or electro‑mechanical assemblies.

Strong experience with 3D CAD (bonus for CATIA V6/3DX).

Experience designing fixtures or test setups for manufacturing, functional test, environmental sealing (IP ingress), or shock/vibration qualification.

Experience with reliability modeling (physics‑of‑failure, accelerated lifetime testing, or degradation modeling) and leading failure analysis on mechanical components.