Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems

mainspringenergy· Rings (Old, don't use)
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📍 Menlo Park, CASalary💰 USD 172K–203K

About this role

Job Overview

    The Rings team owns one of the hardest technical problems in the Linear Generator: a piston and ring system that seals without liquid lubricant. Getting this right is foundational to the product’s low emissions and maintenance business model. The design space is demanding, with complex sealing geometry, demanding thermal and pressure conditions, and material performance and system behavior that all need to be considered simultaneously. Progressing the ring service interval  is one of the most important development programs at Mainspring. As a Staff Mechanical Engineer on this team, you will take ownership of a significant piece of that challenge.

Responsibilities

  • Lead ring and piston development projects, including setting requirements and scope, developing novel designs, reviewing colleagues' designs and analyses in detail, and building production introduction plans

  • Design complex moving parts in the piston and ring system, from originating ideas through detailed design, build, test, and evaluation of performance

  • Assess and root cause failures that involve coupled thermal, structural, materials, and fluid interactions, balancing analysis with hands-on physical intuition

  • Design and run effective test campaigns, using both benchtop rigs and in-generator experiments, to validate designs and accelerate learning

  • Discover and define requirements on surrounding subsystems to improve ring and piston performance

  • Collaborate closely with a talented engineering team in a fast-paced, iterative environment to find the best solutions

Qualifications

  • Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent with at least eight years of experience, or a Ph.D. with at least five years of experience

  • A proactive and collaborative work style suited for a dynamic R&D environment where priorities can evolve as you learn, including comfort with problems that cross team boundaries and engineering disciplines

  • Experience designing high-performance, precision parts from R&D through to production release

  • Fluency in SolidWorks or a comparable CAD package.  Comfortable using structural and thermal FEA as a design tool (Ansys is a plus)

  • Ability to generate 2D drawings for manufacturing, including comfort with GD&T

  • Excellent physical understanding and intuition in structural mechanics and heat transfer; strength in tribology, fluid mechanics, or thermodynamics is a plus

  • A systems approach to problem solving: Prefers to look at the whole system to identify negative interactions and opportunities for improvement

Bonus Qualifications

  • Excellent understanding of thermodynamics, experience interacting with a complex thermodynamic system.  Power generation, energy storage, and aerospace (especially turbomachinery or propulsion) are all extremely relevant

  • Experience designing for high-cycle fatigue and high-pressure, high-temperature environments.  Experience with super alloys is a plus

  • Fluency in Python programming for data analysis, and experience developing and validating simplified models of systems and subsystems to inform failure analysis and design

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems role at mainspringenergy?
The listed salary for this Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems position at mainspringenergy is USD 172K–203K. This is an Salary role.
Where is the Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems position at mainspringenergy located?
This Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems role at mainspringenergy is based in Menlo Park, CA. The position is listed as on-site or hybrid. Check the full job description or apply directly to confirm the work arrangement.
Is the Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems role at mainspringenergy full-time or part-time?
This is listed as a Salary position. It is posted as a Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems role in the Rings (Old, don't use) department at mainspringenergy.
Which team or department does the Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems at mainspringenergy belong to?
This Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems position is part of the Rings (Old, don't use) department at mainspringenergy. See the full job description for more information about the team structure and responsibilities.
How do I apply for the Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems position at mainspringenergy?
Click the "Apply Now" button on this page. You will be redirected to mainspringenergy's official application portal hosted on lever where you can submit your application directly.
When was the Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems job at mainspringenergy posted?
This Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems position at mainspringenergy was posted on Sep 18, 2026. Apply as soon as possible — early applications are often reviewed first.
Staff Mechanical Engineer, Sealing Systems
mainspringenergy · 💰 USD 172K–203K
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You'll be redirected to mainspringenergy's official application page on Lever.