Senior Mechanical Engineer - Thermal

Our Mission  

SPAN develops products that accelerate the rapid adoption of renewable energy in the home. The flagship SPAN Smart Panel is the first true evolution for the traditional home electric panel, harnessing enhanced technology for metering, monitoring, and control. An expanded product suite of intelligent, integrated solutions radically lowers the cost and complexity of energy upgrades–including solar, batteries and EVs–empowering homeowners to be active, resilient and informed players in the energy market. 

The Span engineering team is made of experienced, passionate people with expertise in electronics, mechanical design, energy systems, and embedded software. We are seeking a passionate mechanical engineer to join the hardware development team of SPAN. As a mechanical engineer, you will rely on your experience in mechanical design, thermal analysis, and hands-on prototyping skills to assist Span’s hardware design, testing, and manufacturing efforts.

In this role, you will:

• Model and design components using a variety of materials (plastic, metal, and glass).
• Collaborate with internal and external teams.
• Model heat transfer, structural and electromechanical aspects of our products and perform Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• Interpret analysis results, provide physical explanations and drive product solutions.
• Participate in new product and technology development and proactively guide design directions to meet product performance requirements. You will also use FEA/CFD to augment failure analysis
• Design and build prototype components and assemblies
• Develop and perform thermal tests.
• Create detailed 2D drawings using GD&T when applicable.

About You

Required Qualifications

• You would be a great fit for this job if you:
• Hold a BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering
• Have 5+ years of experience in static/dynamic structural, modal, and thermal analysis using hand calculations as well as Ansys or similar FEA software. Experience in CFD, electromagnetic and non-linear analysis preferred
• Take a hands-on approach whether it be building a prototype or performing testing.
• Have strong problem-solving skills and can manage workload of multiple projects
• Effectively communicate technical concepts, ideas, and knowledge to other team members, including mentoring junior members of the team
• Enjoy working on projects with diverse teams under tight timelines.
• Are proficient in 3D CAD, 2D detailed drawings.
• Enjoy developing complex products and taking them from prototype to volume production.
• Are passionate about renewable energy and energy storage.

Bonus Qualifications

We would love it if you also have:

• A proven track record of working on complex electro-mechanical design simulations and analysis.
• 3+ years experience working through the entire product lifecycle from concept to production
• Knowledge of national and international safety and regulatory requirements such as UL, National Electric Code(NEC), IEC, and ISO.
• Design experience with products that connect to the electrical grid, NEMA 3R enclosures, and/or complex thermal requirements.

Life at Span

Why SPAN?

SPAN offers a unique opportunity at a startup based in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco. We are a small, diverse team of creative thinkers. We value open communication, teamwork, and a make-it-happen attitude - no job is too big or too small. We strive to make change by imagining what the future could be and building a product to complete that vision. We are looking to grow our team with talented people who are on the same mission to shape the future of energy.

Working at SPAN, you can expect:

• Competitive compensation and early equity at a well-funded, fast-growing, venture-backed company (read more on why Amazon and others invested in SPAN here and here)
• A sunny 20,000 sq ft hardware lab + office space in SOMA, a stone’s throw from Caltrain and close to BART
• Flexible hours and vacation time - we simultaneously work hard and make space for the important stuff
• Additional SPAN holidays in celebration of causes we believe in (i.e. Black History Day, Women’s History Day, Earth Day and Gay Pride & Juneteenth among others)
• Comprehensive benefits including a choice of medical plans; dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• Diversity - we are serious about this. Span embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.