Mechanical Engineer

About Calectra:

Calectra is on a mission to electrify and decarbonize high-temperature industrial heat.

Our human societies are dependent on materials like cement, steel, glass, and chemicals. The process heat for the production of these critical materials requires one quarter of global energy consumption. Today, this process heat is fossil-based and accounts for 10% of global CO2 emissions. With many of these material production processes requiring very high-temperature heat, cost-effective alternatives to fossil fuel combustion have been difficult to develop.

Calectra is developing a novel thermal storage technology to provide low-cost, zero-carbon, high-temperature process heat for manufacturing industries. The Calectra thermal storage technology converts low-cost, off-peak, renewable electricity into high-temperature heat and delivers it to industrial manufacturers on-demand. Calectra’s co-founder & CTO, Nate Weger, worked on the technology concept during his PhD at UC Berkeley / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Calectra’s co-founders, Nate and Pauliina, met at the US Department of Energy’s Cradle to Commerce program in 2023. Since then, the Calectra team is grateful to have been supported by the Activate and the State of New York’s Venture for Climate Tech programs. We are a mission-driven and action-biased team aiming to make a dent in the climate crisis with Calectra.

We are seeking our fourth full-time team member, a Mechanical Engineer, to design, model, build, and test the physical components of the thermal storage system, then combine those components in a demonstration system. In this position, you will lead the system-level development of Calectra’s technology, overcoming the challenges that come up as we pursue the demonstration of a larger and more complex system, and building a thermal storage system that is low-cost, safe, and reliable. Join our team to electrify industrial process heat!

What you’ll do:

• Design the system components with attention toward scalability

• Model the components and the full system using thermo-mechanical modeling software

• Build and test the components on a laboratory scale in a representative environment

• Build and test a laboratory-scale prototype in a simulated industrial setting

• Collaborate with an engineering firm to design and build a pilot-scale system

• Work closely with suppliers to iterate quickly on solutions

• Collaborate with Calectra team members and partners

What you’ll bring:

• B.S./M.S./PhD in mechanical engineering or related field

• Experience designing and building physical systems

• Experience modeling thermal systems using ANSYS or equivalent software

• Demonstrated ability to independently design and execute experimental plans

• Understanding of relevant scientific principles, including thermodynamics and heat transfer

• Ability to work productively and respectfully on a collaborative team

• Resiliency in the face of significant challenge

Would be nice:

• Experience working with high-temperature systems

• Experience scaling and manufacturing new technologies

What we offer:

• Annual salary of $102,000 - $140,000

• Company equity

• Healthcare, dental, vision insurance for employees and dependents

• Unlimited vacation

• Unlimited sick leave

• 401(k) plan with company match

• Paid family leave

We are focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you’re excited about this role, but do not meet 100% of the qualifications listed above, we encourage you to apply.