Powertrain Engineer, Internal Combustion Engines

albacore; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

albacore is seeking an experienced mechanical engineer to own the end-to-end design and development of internal combustion engines for power generation, from clean-sheet concepts through fabrication and field testing.

You will lead fuel delivery, air handling, ignition or compression-ignition, cooling, lubrication, and exhaust subsystems, collaborate with electrical/firmware teams on ECU integration, and build test cells to characterize performance and durability.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
• 5-7 years of experience designing and developing internal combustion engines in startup, motorsports, UAV/UGV, or APU/genset environments.
• Deep knowledge of two- or four-stroke engine design including fuel delivery, air handling, cooling, lubrication, and exhaust subsystems.
• Hands-on experience running engines on a dynamometer with instrumentation and performance characterization.
• Proficiency with CAD tools (SolidWorks preferred) and engineering documentation, drawings, and tolerances.
• Ability to read schematics and collaborate with EE/firmware on ECU integration.
• Strong first-principles mindset and bias toward building, testing, iterating.
• U.S. work authorization and ability to obtain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end design and development of internal combustion engines from concept to field testing.
• Specify subsystems: fuel delivery, air handling, ignition or compression-ignition, cooling, lubrication, and exhaust.
• Design engines to deliver shaft power to downstream generators, coordinating with electrical teams.
• Build and instrument engine test cells and dynamometers to characterize performance and diagnose failures.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineers to integrate engines into power generation systems.
• Hands-on build, assembly, and debugging of prototype engines to drive rapid iteration and improvement.

Skills

Engine design experience

Internal combustion engines knowledge

Hands-on dynamometer testing

CAD software (SolidWorks)

Documentation and drawings

Systems integration

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

US work authorization

Security clearance eligibility

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical/Electromechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

Dynamometer instrumentation

Data acquisition systems

Job description

Role description:

• Own the design and development of internal combustion engines end-to-end, from clean-sheet architecture through fabrication, dyno characterization, integration, and field testing.


• Specify and develop core engine subsystems including fuel delivery, air handling, ignition or compression-ignition systems, cooling, lubrication, and exhaust, applying a strong first-principles engineering mindset to hit aggressive targets for power density, fuel efficiency, and reliability.


• Design the engine to deliver clean shaft power into a downstream generator and power conversion stage, working closely with electrical teammates on coupling, vibration isolation, and operating-point selection.


• Build, instrument, and run engine test cells and dyno setups to characterize performance, validate durability, and drive root-cause analysis on failures.


• Collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineers to integrate engines into robust, demanding-environment power generation systems.


• Get hands-on with build, assembly, and debug of prototype engines, driving rapid iteration and continuous improvement in performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

Desired qualifications:

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, or related technical field.


• 5-7 years of experience designing and developing internal combustion engines, ideally in a startup, motorsports, small UAV/UGV, or APU/genset environment where you owned problems end-to-end.


• Deep working knowledge of two- or four-stroke engine design, including fuel delivery, air handling, cooling, lubrication, and exhaust subsystems.


• Hands-on experience running engines on a dynamometer, including instrumentation, data acquisition, and performance characterization.


• Proficiency with CAD tools (SolidWorks preferred) and experience producing clear engineering documentation, including drawings and tolerance specifications.


• Comfort working across disciplines and reading schematics to collaborate effectively with EE and firmware teammates on ECU and engine controls integration.


• Strong first-principles engineering mindset and a bias toward building, testing, and iterating over endless analysis.


• U.S. work authorization and ability to obtain a security clearance.