R&D Energy Engineer

Energy Mid to Senior, research and productization 4-7 years

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Tesla

NextEra Energy

First Solar

Fluence

GE Vernova

Enphase

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The job description

Tech stack. LabVIEW, MATLAB/Python, prototype test rigs, DOE/statistical software (JMP, Minitab), CAD, patent databases, techno-economic analysis tools

About the role

You will join the research and development team of an energy technology company turning lab concepts into commercial products. The team owns the innovation pipeline: scouting emerging technologies, building prototypes, and de-risking new offerings before product teams scale them. This role matters because the company's future revenue comes from what you prove today, and disciplined R&D that kills bad ideas fast and matures good ones faster is a genuine competitive advantage. You will operate at the boundary between research and productization, turning lab results and pilot data into engineering designs that can scale. The role includes designing experiments and field trials with proper controls, then doing the honest analysis of whether results justify further investment. You will track the academic and startup landscape, separating genuine breakthroughs from hype so the company's R&D bets land on real physics. Intellectual property awareness matters as well: you will document inventions and work with counsel to protect what the team creates.

What you will achieve

Mature 2 to 3 technology concepts per year from TRL 3 to TRL 6 with documented performance, cost, and manufacturability evidence
Build prototype test rigs that generate investor-grade data: instrumented, calibrated, and repeatable within stated uncertainty, with go and no-go criteria defined before testing begins
Cut concept-to-decision time by 30 percent through stage-gate criteria, kill metrics, and rapid prototyping sprints
Own techno-economic analyses that translate lab results into $/MWh, $/kW, or payback figures product teams can build business cases on, summarized in technology briefs that inform leadership investment decisions
Drive intellectual property creation with 2+ invention disclosures per year and patent filings on defensible innovations

What you will bring

Must-haves

4 to 7 years of experience in energy R&D, product development, or applied research roles
Strong first-principles engineering fundamentals with the ability to model novel systems quickly
Hands-on prototyping skills: designing, building, instrumenting, and debugging experimental hardware
Proficiency with data analysis and statistics for experimental design and uncertainty quantification
Ability to write techno-economic models connecting technical performance to commercial viability
Familiarity with technology readiness levels and structured product development processes
Intellectual honesty: you kill your own weak concepts early and document why

Nice-to-haves

PhD in a relevant engineering or physical science discipline
Patent authorship or defensive publication experience
Experience with DOE, ARPA-E, or other government-funded research programs
Knowledge of manufacturing scale-up and design-for-manufacture principles
Advanced degree in a relevant engineering or applied science field