Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Amperesand; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, dental benefits

401k retirement savings plan

PTO and holidays

Stock options (incentive)

Commuter benefits

Paid maternal/paternal leave

Job summary

Amperesand is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join our San Francisco/Reno offices. You will design custom machinery for high-power electronics, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and drive the project cycle from concept through handover to operations.

You will tackle packaging, thermal management, EMI/EMC considerations, and high-voltage integration in demanding environments. You will lead prototype development, perform FEA/CFD analyses, and ensure manufacturability with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 3+ years of mechanical design experience for power electronics, automotive, industrial, or energy products.
• Expertise in CAD modeling with 3D EXPERIENCE/CATIA/SolidWorks/NX/Creo.
• Strong fundamentals in statics, dynamics, heat transfer, and materials.
• GD&T, tolerance analysis, and DFM/DFA principles.
• Experience designing enclosures for IP/outdoor-rated equipment.

Responsibilities

• Utilize CAD tools to create detailed mechanical designs for high-power systems.
• Model complex electro-mechanical parts including plastics, sheet metal, and connectors.
• Perform structural, thermal, vibration analyses and validate through testing.
• Lead design reviews, trade studies, and root-cause analysis.
• Collaborate with electrical, thermal, firmware, and manufacturing teams.
• Develop assembly procedures, BOMs, and PLM documentation.
• Support high-volume manufacturing with DFM feedback and tooling.
• Ensure regulatory compliance (UL/IEC) for safe operation.

Skills

CAD modeling

FEA/CFD analysis

High-voltage enclosure design

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

3D EXPERIENCE

CATIA

SolidWorks

NX

Creo

Job description

Company Overview

Amperesand is reinventing how the world powers its most critical systems.
We are facing a once-in-a-generation opportunity for infrastructure disruption. Electricity demand is skyrocketing, driven by AI factories, electric vehicles, and modern industrial growth. Energy supply is shifting to incorporate a more diverse mix of resources – including solar, gas, and batteries – at a massive scale.
And yet the power infrastructure behind our latest mega-projects hasn’t meaningfully changed in nearly 100 years. Supply chains for today’s infrastructure equipment can’t match the pace and sophistication of critical energy projects. Amperesand is building hardware and software that rewrites this broken power infrastructure playbook to support a new era of energy abundance.
We’ve built a new class of intelligent, software-defined power infrastructure products leveraging a decade of advanced medium voltage Solid State Transformer research that’s now ready for commercial deployment.
Our products and solutions go far beyond the capabilities of traditional electrical equipment. We make power systems that are faster to deploy, dramatically smaller and more efficient, and capable of supporting modern, dynamic energy needs for tomorrow’s most demanding energy consumers.
Scalable in-house advanced manufacturing capability is our foundation for meeting timeline and quality expectation to serve infrastructure customers around the world.
Amperesand is led by breakthrough energy hardware development veterans and funded by top tier investors who share our vision of building a category-defining energy technology company.
With hubs in San Francisco, Reno, and Singapore, our global team is laser focused on building foundational technology to solve the most pressing problems in power infrastructure at scale.
Join us in building the power foundation of the future!

Role Summary

We are seeking a skilled Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join our team and contribute to the development of power electronics products. The primary function of this position is to design custom machinery and support the entire project cycle from concept development through installation, commissioning, and handover to the operations team. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including product design, Controls, manufacturing, and test engineers, to ensure efficient performance and reliability in high-power density environments.

Responsibilities

• Utilize CAD software CAD software (3D EXPERIENCE (3DX), CATIA, NX, SolidWorks, Creo etc.) to create detailed mechanical designs.
• Model and design complex electro-mechanical parts, including plastics, sheet metal, insulators, magnetic components, and high-voltage connectors.
• Perform mechanical design analysis, including structural FEA, thermal CFD, vibration, and fatigue assessments.
• Solve packaging challenges involving electrical isolation, sealing, thermal dissipation, EMI/EMC shielding, and mechanical shock/vibration.
• Define and execute validation test plans including structural, thermal, and environmental testing.
• 2D drawings with GD&T for production and inspection.
• Create engineering documentation, tolerance stacks, BOMs, and release packages through PLM systems.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with electrical, thermal, Firmware and controls, manufacturing, test, and industrial design teams.
• Work closely with suppliers to optimize DFM, DFA, and tooling strategies for high-volume production.
• Lead prototype development, fabrication, assembly, and mechanical testing of new designs.
• Support root-cause analysis of design issues in pilot or production builds and lead iterative improvements.
• Drive trade studies to inform system-level decisions on design architecture, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Guide selection for structural, thermal, and electrical compatibility in high-voltage environments.
• Contribute to the layout and design of integrated cooling systems including cold plates, thermal interfaces, and airflow paths.
• Develop assembly procedures and manufacturing instructions to support scalable production.
• Participate in mechanical FMEA and DVP&R activities across product lifecycle stages.
• Work with quality and reliability teams to meet performance, lifecycle, and safety targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in mechanical design for power electronics, automotive, industrial, or energy products.
• Expertise in CAD modeling using 3D EXPERIENCE (CATIA V6/V5), SolidWorks, NX, or Creo.
• Deep understanding of mechanical fundamentals—statics, dynamics, heat transfer, and materials.
• Proficiency in GD&T, tolerance analysis, and DFM/DFA principles.
• Experience designing enclosures for IP-rated or outdoor-rated power equipment.
• Experience with high-volume manufacturing processes such as injection molding, die casting, extrusion, and sheet metal forming.
• Working knowledge of materials: metals (aluminum, steel), plastics, ceramics, gaskets, potting compounds.
• Hands-on experience taking designs from prototype through production deployment.
• Familiarity with PLM systems (3D EXPERIENCE, Windchill, etc.) and engineering change workflows.
• Comfortable with root-cause analysis, failure mode resolution, and mechanical reliability testing.
• Strong communication skills and ability to lead cross-functional design reviews and technical deep-dives.
• Prior experience collaborating with suppliers on tooling development, DFM feedback, and tolerance negotiations.
• Familiarity with PCBAs, connectors, and mechanical integration of high-density electronic assemblies.
• Experience with design and test documentation for regulatory standards (UL, IEC, NEC preferred).
• Passion for product innovation, sustainability, and enabling electrification through engineering excellence.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 15% - 20% including internationally

Bonus Qualifications

• Strong background in structural, thermal, and vibration analysis using tools like Ansys Mechanical, Fluent, and Maxwell.
• Familiarity with electronics packaging and PCB interface considerations.
• Experience with medium- to high-voltage systems and insulation coordination (creepage, clearance, potting, sealing).
• Experience working in Agile development environments, including task management and sprint planning using Scrum methodologies and tools like Jira.

Please note

This role requires working on-site 5 days a week. We do not offer hybrid or remote options.

SF Pay Range
$130,000—$200,000 USD

Reno Pay Range
$130,000—$200,000 USD

Pay Disclosure & Benefits

Compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law.

The benefits outlined below apply exclusively to employees located in the United States.

• Competitive Salary + Incentive Stock Options
• Medical, vision, and dental benefits for employees and their dependents, effective from the start of hire
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance
• 401k retirement savings plan through Empower
• Employees receive paid time off (PTO), paid sick days, and paid company holidays
• Commuter Benefits
• 100% paid maternal leave (12 weeks) and paternal leave (6 weeks)

Singapore-based employees receive benefits in accordance with local government provisions.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Amperesand is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Amperesand is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.