Power Electronics Startup Lead Mechanical Engineer, Industrial Enclosures 📍 Santa Cruz CA 💰 Competitive Base + Equity 🏢 On-site Company Overview My client is a well-funded power electronics startup building next-gen power infrastructure to meet the explosive demand from AI data centers and renewable energy. Their technology directly addresses the bottlenecks preventing faster deployment of electricity generation and consumption. Recent milestones: • Secured $40M Series A funding from top-tier Silicon Valley investors • Selected for NVIDIA's Inception program for companies advancing AI infrastructure • Leadership team includes former Tesla power electronics veterans who've shipped gigawatts of converters • Experiencing 300%+ YoY growth driven by hyperscaler data center demand This org is solving one of the most pressing infrastructure challenges of the AI era: how to connect massive renewable generation and power-hungry loads to an aging grid... faster, cheaper, and at scale. The Role As the Lead Mechanical Engineer, you'll own the design and delivery of shipping-container-sized enclosures for multi-megawatt power converters. This is end-to-end ownership, from first CAD model to high-volume production, working alongside a tight-knit team of mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing engineers. You'll be designing for extreme reliability in outdoor industrial environments: structural integrity, thermal management, weather sealing, EMI shielding, and compliance with grid interconnection standards. What you'll own: • Mass-manufacturable enclosure systems: sheet metal structures, structural plastics, seals, busbars, cable management, thermal systems • First-principles design approach: tolerance analysis, structural FEA, thermal modeling, ingress protection (IP ratings) • DFM across processes: stamping, welding, die-casting, injection molding, riveting, dispensing • Hands-on prototyping, testing, and validation through environmental and compliance testing • Cross-functional collaboration with electrical, test, manufacturing, and supply chain teams • Full product lifecycle ownership from concept → production release Tech stack: CATIA V6/3DX (preferred), GD&T, tolerance analysis, FEA tools What We're Looking For Must-haves: • Strong first-principles engineering approach and analytical rigor • 5+ years designing outdoor-rated industrial enclosures for electromechanical systems (power electronics, switchgear, industrial controls, battery systems, etc.) • 5+ years professional experience with 3D CAD (CATIA V6/3DX experience is a major plus) • Deep understanding of high-volume manufacturing processes: sheet metal, injection molding, welding, fastening, sealing • Experience with ingress protection (IP/NEMA ratings) and environmental sealing • Proven ability to take designs from prototype → production independently Nice-to-haves: • Experience with medium voltage equipment, grid-connected converters, or electrical power infrastructure • Coatings, paints, composites for outdoor industrial applications • FEA, CFD, thermal simulation (ANSYS, MATLAB, etc.) • PLM systems and controlled release processes (Agile, Arena, Teamcenter, etc.) • Reliability testing (DFMEA, DVP&R, environmental chambers, HALT/HASS) • Exposure to PCBAs, busbars, HV connectors, fuses in electromechanical assemblies Why Join Now • Ground-floor opportunity at a Series A startup attacking a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure ecosystem • Backed by top investors and validated by inclusion in NVIDIA's partner ecosystem • Work with power electronics veterans with experience shipping industry defining products at massive scale • Build equity in a company positioned at the intersection of AI, renewables, and grid modernization • First-principles culture: No bureaucracy. No constraints. Build it fast and build it right from day one. This is a chance to be an early employee at a company that could define the next generation of grid infrastructure.
See More Details >>Reports to: Managing Principle Mechanical Engineer, R&D Workplace Type: Hybrid, on-site in Santa Cruz an average of 4-days per week Capstan Medical: Creating a new standard for minimally invasive structural heart treatment Who we are: At Capstan Medical, we're driven by an unwavering commitment to transforming the treatment of heart valve disease. By merging surgical robotics with catheter-based technology and next generation implants, we've pioneered a patient-optimized approach to repair and replace heart valves. Our innovative technology offers a significantly less invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery while ensuring precise and reliable placement of the heart valve implant. With these advancements, we may be able to provide patients with a solution to their heart valve disease while significantly reducing recovery time and minimizing the risk of complications. With a dedicated team of heart valve device experts and robotics engineers, we are fully committed to developing a comprehensive and transformative solution that will positively impact the lives of individuals affected by this condition. Capstan Medical is uniquely positioned in Santa Cruz. This gives us access to the amazing technical talent of the Bay Area, but in an environment that we feel is conducive to doing our best creative work. Our office is adjacent to large tracts of open space with bicycle trails straight from the office doors offering access to the hills and beaches of Wilder Ranch State Park for road/mountain bicycle riding, hiking, and surfing. Come join us and become part of a team revolutionizing heart valve treatment! The Opportunity: We are building a novel medical robotic application, bringing together an exciting set of hardware and software into an elegant product. We are looking for someone who can take a mechanical system of the robot design from initial concept all the way to product. What You'll Do: • Collaborate with Manufacturing and Clinical teams for feedback on designs, incorporating this feedback into quick and effective design iterations. Lead and set direction for mechanical design efforts, owning cross-functional mechanical deliverables and technical strategy • Participate in building and bringing up prototype robotic systems and support all things mechanical in their pre-clinical lab use. • Align individual work to best support company goals. Proactively identify cross-functional risks and lead resolution strategies in collaboration with key stakeholders • Document and communicate learnings on design manufacturability and reliability to the broader hardware team, mentoring others in best practices and scalable design approaches • Document and communicate your work through design reviews and as appropriate released documents as part of the product development process • Identify gaps and pitch in as needed to ensure that the team meets their goals and objectives, driving alignment across teams when priorities conflict • Provide mentorship to the team on best practices and design strategies, and be a valuable partner in design collaboration and reviews. What You'll Need: • BS in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline, or equivalent work experience • Expecting 8+ years of relevant experience (medical device experience preferred) • Comfort working with high levels of ambiguity and an ability to convert that into tangible outcomes • Experience with designing, manufacturing transfer, and shipping of medical device capital equipment or equivalent complexity systems • Understanding of sensor and actuator selection. • Experience with medical device (or equivalent) development process, design control, design verification, and regulatory processes • Ability to work in a hybrid work environment, working onsite in Santa Cruz on average 4 days a week Ways To Stand Out: • Experience with the full commercial lifecycle from concept through reacting to and addressing field issues with your designs. • Skills with Python or Matlab for data analysis, simulation, and interacting with robotic equipment. • Excessive nerdiness about manufacturing, mechanisms, robots, or any other adjacencies. Why Join Us: • We offer a fun, fast-paced, collaborative environment where you will be working on transformational technologies in the cardiac healthcare space. • We offer outstanding benefits with medical, dental, and vision covered at 100% for you and your family, as well as flex time off. • We thrive in our work-hard, play-hard environment. Bring your bike or running shoes if you'd like or just be ready to enjoy a fun office outing. We enjoy time inside the office and out! We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and disability, or other legally protected status.
See More Details >>Santa Cruz, California Engineering / Full-Time / On-Site Director of Mechanical Engineering We are seeking a strong mechanical engineering manager who is an experienced product developer and ready to lead world-class engineering work on innovative light electric vehicles. Depth in Mechanical Engineering, CAD, simulation, DFM, etc. and experience managing, leading, expanding and mentoring a team of mechanical engineers and managing projects to successful completion. The ideal candidate will be a very talented, creative, capable hands-on engineer who is excited about leading an interdisciplinary team that is revolutionizing boardsports and transportation and shipping product. Key responsibilities + expectations: • Lead new light-electric-vehicle products from concept through detailed design, prototyping and NPI • Validate, test, and iterate on existing mechanical and electromechanical systems. • Work with domestic and overseas vendors for manufacturing quotes, sourcing components, quality assurance, etc. • Work with EE team for integration of PCBAs, connectors and wire harnesses • Document and prepare drawing packages for internal/external uses. • Manage allocation of team resources and tasks to accomplish projects in a timely manner • Hire, develop, manage and grow team members to achieve great things Experience + Qualifications: • BS or MS in mechanical engineering. • 7-15+ years experience • Electromechanical (electric vehicle, mechatronics, etc.) background a very strong plus. • Hands-on prototyping/machine shop experience • Experience with QC/FAI. Inspection using basic measuring instruments, CMM, etc. • Experience with design and documentation for a variety of manufacturing processes, including injection molding, die-casting, CNC machining, etc. • Experience in the outdoor industry (bikes, snowboards, skateboards, etc) a strong plus. • Manufacturing/DFM experience • Experience taking product to market. • Excellent CAD (Solidworks) proficiency. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. • Experience managing small-to-medium sized (2-20ppl) mechanical engineering teams We’re looking for a creative and forward-thinking engineering leader who shares our vision and adds value, in a start-up environment by bringing their vision to life. Do you have a track record of solving complex engineering challenges and delivering outstanding products?We’re looking for a creative and forward-thinking engineering leader who shares our vision and adds value, in a start-up environment by bringing their vision to life. Do you have a track record of solving complex engineering challenges and delivering outstanding products? The job is based in our westside Santa Cruz, CA location just half a mile from the beach! We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
See More Details >>Embarking on a career in the mechanical trade in Santa Cruz, CA, often begins with an apprenticeship, blending practical experience with theoretical knowledge, allowing individuals to earn while they learn. Apprenticeships typically last three to four years, demanding extensive training under seasoned professionals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are approximately 3,300 mechanical engineers nationwide, with wages averaging around $1,550 per week in Santa Cruz, CA. The BLS projects a 10% job growth from 2022 to 2032. Trade schools, vocational programs, and industry associations facilitate apprenticeship opportunities, leading to a rewarding career with strong earning potential, often exceeding $82,000 per year for experienced professionals.
