Senior Machinist / R&D Specialist

Menlo Park, CA

About the role

About Mainspring

Mainspring Energy manufactures and delivers fuel-flexible, low-emissions local power solutions that rapidly add new capacity and deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power. The company began commercial shipments of its Mainspring Linear Generators in 2020 and today has hundreds of megawatts in advanced development and field operations for leading Fortune 500 companies, data centers, and utilities. Mainspring also partners with global energy leaders including AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, Schneider Electric, and more.

The core values that ground our work, guide our decisions, and connect us together:

  • Pragmatic Optimism
  • Excellence without Ego
  • Proactive Collaboration
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Job OverviewMainspring Energy is searching for a motivated Sr. Machinist capable of supporting the needs of our engineering development lab at our Menlo Park facility. In this position you will work with a small team and manage the daily workload and respond to projects needing precision machining in metals and composite materials. This position produces complex R&D prototype machined parts and components by programming, setting up, and operating computer numerical control, vertical mills, lathes, and traditional machines. Maintains quality and safety standards and maintains supplies and equipment.


Duties and Responsibilities
  • Oversees and coordinates all day-to-day operational and support activities of the shop, ensures that work production meets the objectives, specifications, and standards, and that all applicable operating policies and procedures are adhered to

  • Operate standard equipment, i.e. vertical milling machines, band saw, drill press, and measuring tools to produce prototype parts

  • Consult with engineers regarding design, capacity and purpose, and types of materials to be used for fabrication

  • Analyze written specifications, drawings, rough sketches, and oral instructions to plan layout and determine sequence of operations. Plans machining by studying work orders, engineering plans, materials, specifications, drawings, reference planes, locations of surfaces, and machining parameters; interprets geometric dimensions and tolerances

  • Works with engineers to evaluate processes and recommends changes or modifications for efficiency and adaptability to setup and production

  • May review, evaluate, and make recommendations for purchases such as supplies, materials, and/or equipment

  • May supervise the work of employees engaged in shop production and production support activities, to include recommendations for hiring, termination, performance evaluation, training, work allocation, and problem resolution

  • Maintains current knowledge with respect to relevant state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and/or systems

  • Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned

  • Produces custom tooling and fixture design as needed for complex prototypes


Minimum Job Requirements
  • High school diploma or GED; at least 7 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified

  • Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis


Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required
  • Experience with MasterCAM, 5 axis programming

  • Ability to operate standard and specialized equipment to produce prototype parts

  • Ability to perform standard shop computations

  • Skill in production of parts with extremely close tolerances

  • Ability to perform experimental set ups and complex machining procedures

  • Work in a collaborative environment

  • Ability to read, understand, follow, and enforce safety procedures

  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals in a diverse community

  • Leadership skills

  • Ability to supervise and train employees on basic machine operations

  • Working knowledge of geometric dimensions and tolerances

  • Working knowledge of AutoCAD, Solid Works and/or related CAD software

  • Knowledge of American National Standards Institute - ANSI


Working Conditions and Physical Effort
  • Moderate physical activity. Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 25 pounds or standing and/or walking for more than four (4) hours per day

  • Work environment involves some exposure to hazards or physical risks, which require following basic safety precautions

  • Work may involve moderate exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises


\n$50 - $59 an hour

This position is onsite at our Menlo Park HQ. The salary will be adjusted to reflect local market conditions based on employee location as well as the experience of the employee. Along with the base salary, Mainspring offers pre-IPO stock options + benefits.

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Does your experience not meet all of our posted requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to positions unless they meet every listed requirement. At Mainspring, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, flexible, and collaborative environment, so if you want to help us transition the world to clean and affordable electricity, and don’t meet all posted requirements for a particular role, we’d still love to hear from you. Mainspring can sometimes be flexible enough to shift responsibilities for the right person, or otherwise identify open or upcoming roles that may better fit your professional background.

In more traditional words, Mainspring Energy, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

This compensation and benefits information is based on Mainspring Energy's estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future. We generally do not negotiate on salary once we have made an offer. The level of pay within the range will depend on a variety of job-related factors that may include location, relevant prior experience and/or education, or particular skills and expertise. New hires joining the company tend to be paid within the starting base pay range noted above, with opportunities to increase pay over time based on development of additional skills, competencies, and company-specific knowledge.

About Mainspring Energy

Mainspring Energy develops and manufactures linear generators that convert fuel into electricity. The company focuses on providing clean energy solutions that enhance power generation efficiency. Its technology is designed to support various applications, including onsite power generation. Mainspring Energy emphasizes sustainability and aims to contribute to the transition to cleaner energy sources. Through its innovative approach, the company seeks to meet the growing demand for flexible and environmentally friendly energy solutions. Partnerships with other organizations further expand its capabilities in delivering effective energy systems.

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Job details

Salary

$50 - $59

Location

Menlo Park, CA

Company

NameMainspring Energy
IndustryAlternative Energy Equipment
Team Size4

Funding

Total raised

$849M

Last stage

Series F

Investors

General Catalyst
Khosla Ventures
LLightrock
Temasek
CCPP Investments

Founders

SM

Shannon Miller

Co-Founder & CEO

LinkedIn
AS

Adam Simpson

Co-Founder & CCO (Chief Commercial Officer)

MS

Matt Svrcek

Co-Founder & CTO (Chief Technology Officer)

What happens next.

No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.

01

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

02

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

03

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.