Controls Engineer - Electrical Systems Control

About Mainspring

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

The core values that ground our work, guide our decisions, and connect us together:

• Pragmatic Optimism
• Excellence without Ego
• Proactive Collaboration

Overview

Do you enjoy controlling multi-domain physical systems like robots, cars, or generators using embedded systems? Are you passionate about modeling system dynamics (linear or nonlinear), designing control algorithms, implementing them in hardware, and verifying real-world performance?

We have a high-impact opportunity for a Controls Engineer to join a world-class engineering team, designing and implementing new automation and control algorithms for our Linear Generator - a sophisticated, automated system with mechanical, electrical, fluid, thermodynamic, and thermal dynamics. Controls are central to its performance and behavior.

The Electrical Systems Control team specializes in coordinating the control of inverters, batteries, brake resistors, and generators on a common DC bus to provide consistent and reliable power. In this role, you will learn the fundamentals of each of these components to enable smooth and reliable power production. You will be paired closely with senior engineering mentors dedicated to accelerating your technical mastery, systems thinking, and long-term career growth.

We're looking for a driven, self-directed problem solver who thinks in systems, learns fast, takes coaching well, and is a team player. You have a strong interest in software, sensors, real-time control, and automation for dynamic systems, and you're excited about Mainspring's mission to deliver clean, affordable, and resilient power.

Responsibilities

As an Associate Controls Engineer in the Electrical Systems Controls team, you will:

• Help integrate inverters, batteries, brake resistors, and generators all on a common DC bus.
• Design, implement, and tune control algorithms that coordinate the DC bus, batteries, and grid tie inverters, in simulation and on hardware.
• Implement algorithms and continuous-integration tests (MIL, SIL, PIL) in C++17.
• Develop automation, diagnostics, and fail-safes for a novel integrated platform.
• Analyze system data and refine control strategies.
• Develop and automate test plans, test cases, and traceability matrices to ensure comprehensive coverage.
• Conduct failure analysis, risk mitigation, and validation to maintain robust control performance.
• Debug sensors, actuators, and subsystems, addressing noise, disturbances, and calibration.
• Support fleet generator operation, manufacturing testing, and reliability efforts.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with power electronics, mechanical, thermal, firmware, and test teams to define requirements, integrate multi-physics systems, implement new software features, and drive validation.
• Start by building simulation tests and supporting hardware validation of new grid tie inverter control algorithms, with a structured pathway toward taking full technical ownership of critical control subsystems.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in electrical, mechanical, or software engineering with a specialization in control systems or power systems
• 2-5 years of relevant work experience
• Experience designing, implementing, and testing controls and automation algorithms in software.
• Strong communication skills and an enthusiasm for active collaboration across diverse hardware and software engineering teams.

Does your experience not meet all of our posted requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to positions unless they meet every listed requirement. At Mainspring, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, flexible, and collaborative environment, so if you want to help us transition the world to clean and affordable electricity, and don’t meet all posted requirements for a particular role, we’d still love to hear from you. Mainspring can sometimes be flexible enough to shift responsibilities for the right person, or otherwise identify open or upcoming roles that may better fit your professional background.

In more traditional words, Mainspring Energy, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

This compensation and benefits information is based on Mainspring Energy's estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future. We generally do not negotiate on salary once we have made an offer. The level of pay within the range will depend on a variety of job-related factors that may include location, relevant prior experience and/or education, or particular skills and expertise. New hires joining the company tend to be paid within the starting base pay range noted above, with opportunities to increase pay over time based on development of additional skills, competencies, and company-specific knowledge.

This is a hybrid position (onsite + remote) at our Menlo Park HQ. It will require you to be onsite as required to perform testing, troubleshooting, manufacturing support, etc. The salary will be adjusted to reflect local market conditions based on employee location as well as the experience of the employee. Along with base salary, Mainspring offers pre-IPO company equity through Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) + benefits.