Mechanical Engineer, Staff to Principal level

Job description

Enphase Energy is a global energy technology company and a leading provider of solar, battery, and electric vehicle charging products. Founded in 2006, our innovative microinverter technology revolutionized solar power, making it a safer, more reliable, and scalable energy source. Today, the Enphase Energy System enables users to make, use, save, and sell their own power. Enphase is also one of the most successful and innovative clean energy companies in the world, with more than 80 million products shipped across 160 countries. Join our dynamic teams designing and developing next-gen energy technologies and help drive a sustainable future! About the role The Enphase Power Systems Innovation team in the CTO's office is responsible for defining, prototyping, and supporting Enphase's Solid State Transformer products. The team is an integrated, multi-disciplinary group looking for motivated individuals who can contribute and collaborate closely with the team to deliver innovative solutions. As a team member, you will solve some of the most exciting problems in the energy space and help shape the direction of our products. We are looking for a Mechanical Design Engineer with a strong background in the mechanical design and integration of electrical equipment — including busbars, wire harnesses, electronic board packaging, and connectors — who will own the integration of the support and control system for Enphase's first-generation Solid State Transformer product. What You Will Do Design high-current busbar assemblies — including conductor sizing, layout routing, thermal management, and mechanical mounting Own wire harness design and routing, including connector selection, terminal specification, cable management, strain relief, and harness drawing packages Design electronic board packaging solutions — including enclosures, mounting hardware, EMI shielding, thermal interface management, and serviceability provisions Specify and design electrical connectors and interconnect systems, ensuring reliable mating, adequate current ratings, and compatibility with assembly and service workflows Perform electrical insulation coordination for internal mechanical components, including creepage and clearance analysis, material selection for dielectric performance, and compliance with relevant voltage class requirements Ensure field-replaceable boards are accessible and documented with clear service procedures Ensure the design is manufacturable— selecting appropriate fabrication methods, tolerancing for producibility, and collaborating with contract manufacturing partners to ensure smooth production ramp Perform structural and thermal analysis (hand calculations and FEA/CFD) on busbars, mounting structures, and packaging assemblies to validate performance under rated and fault conditions Produce 2D drawings and 3D CAD models, evaluate parts, and collaborate with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and contract manufacturing partners to bring your design to market Specify key functional and performance requirements; design and execute verification test plans Complete documentation for design, testing, and analysis Hands-on fabrication of electromechanical assemblies and prototypes Mentor junior staff Who You Are and What You Bring Job title and level determined by candidate experience: Staff Engineer: BS + 8 yrs | MS + 6 yrs | PhD + 3 yrs: Sr. Staff Engineer: BS + 12 yrs | MS + 8 yrs | PhD + 5 yrs: Principal Engineer: BS + 15 yrs | MS + 12 yrs | PhD + 8 yrs Candidates with greater experience are strongly encouraged to apply Ability to solve problems independently and work effectively on early-stage product development efforts with ambiguous requirements and tasks Ability to take ownership of development tasks and manage various high-importance tasks simultaneously Significant experience in the mechanical design and integration of electrical support equipment for power electronics, power conversion, or analogous high-power electrical products Strong proficiency in busbar design — conductor sizing, laminated busbar stack-ups, insulation systems, thermal rise calculations, and mechanical mounting methods Demonstrated experience in wire harness design — routing, connector and terminal selection, wire gauge specification, and harness drawing creation Experience designing mechanical packaging for electronic boards, including thermal management, shock and vibration isolation, EMI considerations, and board-level interconnects Expertise in electrical insulation coordination — creepage and clearance analysis per IEC 60664-1 or equivalent, selection of insulating materials, and design practices for medium-voltage (>1 kV) environments Strong understanding of connector systems for power and signal applications — contact ratings, environmental sealing, keying, and mating cycle durability Demonstrated ability to design for manufacturing — tolerance analysis, process selection (sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, injection molding, stamping, die casting), and close collaboration with manufacturing partners Expertise in various joining techniques such as welding, adhesives, riveting, fastened joints, and press-fit connections High proficiency with an enterprise CAD package (SolidWorks preferred) Good communication and documentation skills Strong hands-on mechanical prototyping skills Additional Desired Skills Proficiency with FEA/CFD simulation (thermal, structural, electromagnetic) Experience with high-voltage (>1 kV) power conversion or switchgear equipment Familiarity with common standards for electrical equipment (UL, IEC, NEMA, IEEE) Experience with thermal management of power electronics assemblies (heat sink design, airflow path design, thermal interface materials, CFD) Familiarity with EMC/EMI design practices for power electronics packaging Experience with laminated or flexible busbar design and fabrication Work Location Austin, TX The base pay range for this position is $110,000 to $183,000 per year. This salary range may be modified in the future. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, education or training, work location, and market conditions. This position is also eligible for bonus, equity, and benefits. #SST