Senior Research Engineer

About the role

Join Slipstream as a Senior Research Engineer to make a real impact in the fight against climate change and the inequities of its impacts. We are a national leader in understanding the real-world impacts of new solutions for addressing climate change, studying, developing, and testing the next generation of energy solutions across multiple sectors of the economy.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical analysis and develop engineering solutions for applied research and consulting projects involving buildings, campuses, communities, and emerging energy technologies.
• Lead medium- to large-scale multidisciplinary projects from proposal through delivery, ensuring high-quality technical work, budget and schedule performance, and strong client satisfaction, while managing cross-functional teams.
• Analyze building and community energy systems with a strong focus on HVAC, controls, electrification, distributed energy resources, and other emerging technologies to identify, quantify, and prioritize efficiency and decarbonization opportunities.
• Design and conduct field studies and engineering evaluations to assess real-world performance of technologies, buildings, and energy systems.
• Translate findings into practical engineering recommendations that integrate proven efficiency measures and emerging climate technologies.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to engineers and researchers across project teams.
• Present findings to clients, utilities, government agencies, and industry audiences through high-quality reports, presentations, and conferences.
• Identify, develop, and secure new research and consulting opportunities by contributing to proposals, cultivating client relationships, and partnering on strategic business development initiatives.
• Shape Slipstream's technical strategy by identifying emerging trends and opportunities, proposing new research ideas, and contributing to the growth of our engineering practice.

Requirements

• Extensive experience with HVAC systems, controls, and building energy performance in real-world applications.
• Deep understanding of building science, energy systems, and engineering analysis methods.
• Demonstrated success managing complex technical projects from planning through completion, delivering on scope, schedule, budget, and quality.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and coordinating internal staff, external partners, and stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to solve complex engineering problems and communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences clearly.
• Experience developing client relationships and contributing to successful proposals or business development efforts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presenting technical information to diverse audiences.
• Ability and desire to mentor junior engineers and researchers while fostering collaboration across teams.
• Curiosity and initiative to explore innovative technologies and approaches that address climate and equity challenges.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in mechanical, electrical, architectural, civil, or environmental engineering (or equivalent experience).
• 8–10+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex engineering or research projects.
• Experience with proposal development and client engagement preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.

Nice to Have

• Measurement & Verification, commissioning, or field verification.
• Energy modeling (EnergyPlus, OpenStudio, eQUEST, etc.).
• Programming or data analysis (Python, R, VBA, SQL).
• Building controls optimization.
• Knowledge of ASHRAE, IECC, ENERGY STAR, or related building codes, standards, guidelines and programs.
• Utility energy efficiency programs.
• Federal or state-funded research projects.

Work Environment

• Full-time remote position with the ability to work from home or another suitable location with reliable internet access.
• Flexible schedules, meetings generally occurring 9–4 in Central Time zone.
• Requires a quiet and professional workspace for virtual meetings and collaboration.
• Hybrid work is available if located in Madison, WI or Chicago, IL. If in-office, expect a moderate noise level.
• Travel up to 10% for in-person meetings, conferences, client visits, etc.

Physical Requirements

• Primarily a sedentary role, with tasks typically performed while sitting or occasionally standing.
• Ability to operate a computer and standard office equipment.
• Ability to ascend and descend stairs, ladders, and into/out of vehicles as required.