What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Electrical & Controls Hardware Engineer position at AirJoule?
About AirJoule, LLC
AirJoule is uniquely poised at the intersection of addressing climate change, supporting the energy transition, and helping water starved regions. If you are passionate about these missions, and are passionate about disrupting technologies that will change the world as we know it, then AirJoule is the place for you!
We are a joint venture between GE Vernova and AirJoule Technologies. Our revolutionary atmosphere water harvesting technology enables both dehumidification and transformative cooling, while also producing clean and decentralized water for industrial, commercial, and humanitarian purposes.
If you are a highly motivated and experienced individual who wants to make a real-world impact, please apply!
Position Summary
AirJoule is seeking a Senior Electrical & Controls Hardware Engineer to serve as the electrical and controls subject matter expert (SME) for the Technology division's R&D systems. This is a hands-on role built around fast R&D evaluations: getting compressors, blowers, and vacuum pumps wired, configured, and communicating with our control system quickly and safely. Productization and UL certification sit with Engineering, and controls software with a dedicated software team, so this role is focused on making R&D hardware work.
Key Responsibilities
- Electrical technical strategy: Balance speed and safety when testing R&D concepts, and set an electrical hardware strategy that delivers the best device performance with the simplest overall electrical design.
- Drives: Configure and commission VFDs and OEM inverter drives for three-phase, line-voltage equipment up to 480 V, including variable-speed refrigerant compressors, blowers, and vacuum pumps.
- Refrigerant compressors: Integrate fixed- and variable-speed compressors on R&D refrigerant circuits, including safety interlocks, crankcase heaters, and coordination with EEV and superheat controls.
- Communications: Connect components to our controls via Modbus, RS-232/485, and analog/discrete I/O, and document each interface.
- Unfamiliar equipment: Safely energize first-of-kind components from incomplete or non-English vendor documentation.
- Power compatibility: Resolve voltage, phase, and 50/60 Hz mismatches across lab, international, and customer sites.
- Test stand builds: Design and build electrical cabinets and field wiring for R&D test stands.
- Troubleshooting and safety: Diagnose electrical, drive, and communication faults in the lab and field, and own electrical safety (LOTO, NFPA 70E) on R&D systems.
- Uphold a safe, respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and appreciative team environment.
Education and Experience Requirements
- Minimum Education: BS in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field (EET with experience considered).
- Minimum Experience: 7 years of hands-on electrical and controls work in industrial, HVAC/R, or R&D settings.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Required
- VFD and motor drive expertise — commissioning and troubleshooting motor and compressor drives.
- Three-phase power systems up to 480 V, 50/60 Hz — starters, contactors, overloads, transformers, NEC.
- Industrial communications — Modbus, RS-232/485, analog/discrete I/O, register maps.
- Electrical drawings and PLC hardware — schematics, wiring diagrams, and PLC I/O.
- Field-ready — works on energized equipment with proper PPE, lifts 50 lb, travels to deployments.
- Thrives in fast-paced R&D with limited documentation, and passionate about teamwork and AirJoule's mission.
Preferred
- HVAC/R controls experience, especially variable-speed refrigerant compressors and EEVs.
- Vacuum pump and blower systems (liquid ring, dry screw, dry scroll).
- EPA Section 608 certification.
- Field deployment experience, including international 50 Hz sites.