Senior Modeling & Simulation Engineer: Controls Integration

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 partners with global energy leaders including AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, and Schneider Electric.

The core values that ground our work, guide our decisions, and connect us together: Pragmatic Optimism, Excellence without Ego, and Proactive Collaboration.

About the role

We have a high-impact opportunity for a Modeling and Simulation Engineer to support the design, test, and manufacture of reliable and efficient linear generators at Mainspring Energy. On the system modeling and simulation team, you will play a central role in refining generator design by providing tools through which the control system can be designed and validated. This role requires a quantitative physical understanding of systems combined with a passion and aptitude for software to bring that understanding to light.

Responsibilities

• Determine the appropriate dynamic response of the generator system to a variety of control commands.
• Write numerical models quantifying that behavior for simulation.
• Coordinate with controls engineers and navigate code in C++ to understand the inputs and expected response of the controller to sensed generator behavior.
• Generate test plans to investigate unknown system behavior or validate observations gleaned from other simulations. Oversee the execution of those plans on the generator with support from the test team.
• Write and debug solvers for dynamic systems written as ordinary differential equations (ODEs) or differential algebraic equations (DAEs).
• Architect custom simulation environments, optimize simulations, and develop reduced-order models capable of computing simulated time steps faster than real time on dedicated hardware.
• Construct computational dynamic system models using appropriate conservation equations directly in high-level programming languages, e.g., Python, C++.
• Participate in a robust development process following software best practices.
• Participate in peer review of code written in support of modeling, control, and software work throughout the team.
• Generate written documentation (presentations, reports, etc.) of model design and simulation results for a variety of audiences at Mainspring.

Your success in this role will be instrumental in reducing the time it takes to develop, test, and deploy new controls features for linear generators and provide value for our customers. You will collaborate across technical domains, frequently integrating with executives and leaders in software, mechanical design, and product development.

Requirements

• Engineering degree (Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Chemical, etc.) with a strong foundation in applied mathematics.
• Strong technical and analytical skills with 5+ years of practical experience in more than one physical domain relevant to linear generators: thermodynamics, electrical systems, fluid dynamics, etc.
• Familiarity with numerical techniques for modeling and simulation and their use within existing commercial packages (e.g., Simulink, Dymola, GT-Power, NPSS, etc.).
• Experience designing, writing, and validating custom models written in a high-level programming language, e.g., Fortran, C/C++, Python, Julia, etc.

If your experience does not meet all posted requirements but you are passionate about transitioning the world to clean and affordable electricity, we encourage you to apply. Mainspring is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and flexible environment and may adjust responsibilities or identify other roles that better fit your background.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $150,000–$180,000 per year, adjusted to reflect local market conditions and the employee’s experience. Along with base salary, Mainspring offers pre-IPO stock options and benefits.

Schedule

This is a hybrid position (onsite + remote) based at our Menlo Park headquarters.