Principal Mechanical Engineer

£65-75K – Full-time – London/Hybrid 

IONATE is a deep technology start-up building the technology backbone for smart grids. Our team is looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer who will be responsible for developing and implementing real time software, taking concepts through to commercial product for customers.

Requiring extensive knowledge and experience in mechanical and thermal design, test and manufacturing, this position will involve working with our hardware team, focusing on converter design and thermal cooling systems with a high degree of electro-mechanical integration.

You will need an innovative approach to engineering with well-grounded reasoning and experience. Importantly you will contribute to live ongoing projects and work with the team to continue developing our HIT technology.   

What you will do:

Mechanical Design and Development 

• Design and develop cabinet enclosures, electro-mechanical interfaces, and custom components, working closely with manufacturing partners and designers.
• Design and develop air-to-air and liquid-to-air cooling systems for high-power components and power modules.
• Work in close tandem with power electronics and electrical engineers to design and build mechanical assemblies for converters, switchgear, control, and protection equipment.
• Experience in problem-solving and concurrent engineering practices – structured, logical approach to investigate issues and solve problems in an effective cross-functional manner.
• Ensure industry-relevant quality, safety, and design standards are met at every stage.

Prototyping, Validation, and Testing 

• Hands-on design validation and testing in the lab/workshop and field environment.
• Use tools and equipment to validate mechanical designs, build concept prototypes and one-off units for special projects.
• Actively participate in technical development and testing across a multi-disciplinary team including transformer designers, power electronics designers, control, and software engineers.

Collaboration and Team Leadership 

• Work to clear timescales and collaborate with a cross-functional team to deliver projects on time, with ambitious product targets.
• Be responsible for hardware and component selection, working alongside project management and procurement specialists to maintain BOMs and manage supply chain risks.
• Manage and run the mechanical engineering team, taking on the responsibility of line management and technical leadership.
• Manage team resources and schedule to ensure that projects are delivered on time and within scope.

Documentation and Engagement 

• Create and maintain documentation such as requirements and specification documents testing reports, tolerance and withstand studies, data packs for manufacturing, O&M manuals, GA (General Arrangement) drawings, component drawings, CAD models and BOMs.
• Work with technical and projects teams to develop supplier and partner relationships to ensure procurement risks are minimised.
• Work with our manufacturing partners to ensure smooth transition from prototypes to mass production, own the technical management of this relationship with other key technical partners.

Requirements

What you will need:  

• A degree in electromechanical or mechanical engineering.
• Experience using CAD tools such as Onshape and schematic capture and layout tools.
• Proven experience in designing systems that comply with EMC/EMI standards.
• Hands-on experience in designing and testing systems to achieve UL/TUV certification for commercial readiness.
• Experience building systems to withstand harsh environments with temperature differentials, high humidity, and dusty conditions, working to IP or NEMA standards.
• Skilled in performing analysis using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools.

Communication and Teamwork 

• Communication skills enabling you to work with various teams across the globe.
• Actively participate in technical development and testing across a multi-disciplinary team including transformer, power electronics, electrical, systems, and software engineers.

Flexibility and Growth Mindset 

• A drive to learn new things!
• Travel nationally and internationally when required for testing/commissioning.

It would be useful to have: 

• Knowledge or experience of power electronics, electrical systems and transformers within the grid
• Chartered engineering registration is a bonus
• Experience in developing lift, seating, and installation plans for mechanical or electro-mechanical systems.

Benefits

Flexible working schedules:  You will be based in our modern West London offices but will have the flexibility for hybrid work-from-home arrangements. Talk to us at the application stage about any scheduling preferences you may have.

Private Medical & Dental Insurance:  From day one, we provide you with full, comprehensive private medical and dental cover through Bupa. You also have the option to add any dependents to your cover. Please ask us for more details.

Employee Option Plan:  You get equity in IONATE, so as we succeed so do you. 

Company pension:  a competitive, flexible, and sustainable pension product to help you plan for your future.

Career Development:  It’s important to us that you have the opportunity for ongoing professional development and career growth. 

Cycle to Work scheme:  Low carbon travel is important for everyone, so we have in place cycle schemes to help you purchase a bicycle. 

Slow travel: We believe in a low carbon future, so if you wish to travel by a lower carbon method – but it takes much longer than flying - we will give you an extra 2 days per year.

About IONATE

Driven by first-principles engineering, IONATE is transforming power systems for the energy transition.

Our hardware is the Hybrid Intelligent Transformer (HIT): a new building block for the power grid and everything connecting. It integrates into the network like a transformer but solves key power quality issues through all-in-one power flow control. Beyond the passive voltage step, it provides data visibility, stepless and dynamic voltage control, harmonics removal and reactive power control with millisecond-precision. Its innovative hybrid design leveraging magnetic control makes it a robust, reliable, and affordable upgrade.

While deployed to remove constraints and prevent issues, HITs effectively light up real-time control nodes for the very first time. Once placed in strategic points of the network, IONATE’s AI platform can coordinate them to form a true smart system, coupling top-down grid orchestration with instantaneous bottom-up control in the physics. This full stack will achieve real-time system optimisation and turn the passive old grid into a flexible, decentralized platform that catalyses innovation.

3 reasons why you should apply:

You’ll work on something that matters.  The most rewarding aspect of our job is seeing what we build in the lab get used in the real world. As our tech gets used in solar farms, batteries, and electricity grids, your work will help shape the future of the green energy transition.

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The thinking you’ll do here is not your average exercises on repeat.  Building a brand-new class of tech requires cutting-edge ideas. If you like to solve unconventional problems, to be given freedom to explore, to challenge – and be challenged by – field experts, you will fit just right in.

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The rocket ship is taking off.  Our innovation has been proven and demand is immense. IONATE is now rapidly scaling up and undertaking global projects. Joining early and working side-by-side with our leadership team means ample opportunity to grow your role together with our company.

IONATE has a friendly team that collaborates and supports one-another. If you don’t fit all the description above, but you are passionate about the work we are doing and could add value to our team, please get in touch. We believe in making positions fit the skills of people, not the other way around. We are also committed to providing equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone. We value diversity in race, gender identity, sexuality, age, family or civil status, disability, religion, or ethnicity and encourage you to apply wherever you come from.