Principal Mechanical Engineer, Electrochemical Systems

Company

We've partnered with a well-funded stealth climate technology company developing a novel carbon removal platform. The company is moving from bench-scale validation toward pilot-scale demonstration and is building a technical team across electrochemistry, mechanical design, process engineering, manufacturing, and industrial deployment.

Role

The company is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer, Electrochemical Systems to own mechanical engineering for its electrochemical hardware platform. This person will serve as the senior mechanical authority across electrochemical cells, stacks, balance of plant, pilot-scale systems, manufacturability, and future team development.

The ideal candidate is a systems-oriented hardware builder, not a narrow component designer. They should be comfortable moving between first-principles engineering, CFD/modeling, CAD, hands-on hardware iteration, supplier decisions, and pilot-scale execution.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design standards and technical decision-making across electrochemical systems
• Lead mechanical design of electrochemical cells and stacks, including architecture, flow fields, membranes, seals, materials, and balance-of-plant integration
• Use CFD, simulation, fluid mechanics, and first-principles judgment to guide design decisions
• Drive pilot-scale build-out, including equipment layout, piping, structural integration, and field problem-solving
• Support DFM, tolerance analysis, material selection, supplier engagement, and scale-up strategy
• Stay close to prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, and rapid iteration
• Partner with electrochemistry, process engineering, R&D, and manufacturing teams
• Help build the mechanical engineering function, including workflows, standards, hiring plans, and team capabilities

Qualifications

Required:

• 10 years of mechanical engineering experience with complex hardware systems
• Strong background in electrochemical systems such as electrolyzers, flow batteries, fuel cells, electrodialysis, electrochemical separations, CO₂ electrolysis, or related systems
• Deep experience with electrochemical cell or stack design
• Strong CAD proficiency, ideally SolidWorks or similar
• Experience taking hardware from concept through prototype, testing, iteration, and manufacturing
• Hands-on fabrication, lab, prototype, or pilot-scale experience
• Comfort using CFD, FEA, simulation, or related modeling tools to support engineering decisions
• Ability to operate across components, subsystems, and full-system architecture

Strongly preferred:

• Experience with CO₂ electrolysis, carbonate electrolysis, or multi-compartment electrochemical systems
• Experience with pilot plants, prototype systems, or first-of-kind hardware deployments
• Experience working with manufacturers, suppliers, machine shops, or fabrication partners
• Startup or small-team technical experience

Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidates will have built real systems, not just designed parts. They will use data, modeling, and first-principles thinking to make design decisions while staying close to the physical reality of the hardware. They should be comfortable with ambiguity, direct communication, fast learning cycles, and ownership of outcomes.

Compensation

Competitive salary and equity commensurate with experience.