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Mainspring Energy manufactures fuel-flexible, low-emissions local power solutions for Fortune 500 companies, data centers, and utilities. The company has shipped hundreds of megawatts of its Mainspring Linear Generators since 2020 and partners with global energy leaders including AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, and Schneider Electric.
You will lead the Systems Engineering V-model across the digital and control stack, owning the architectural definition, requirements breakdown, and systems-level integration of a complex electro-mechanical product ecosystem. You will manage a multidisciplinary team of Systems and Controls Engineers, translating high-level product goals into precise functional requirements, allocation budgets, and Interface Control Documents (ICDs) spanning Control Algorithms, Embedded Firmware, and Cloud Software Platforms.
Key responsibilities include:
**Systems Architecture & Requirements Decomposition:** Lead top-down requirements engineering to translate product roadmap goals into technical system-level specifications, performance budgets (latency, power, bandwidth), and safety metrics. Own system-level functional breakdown and allocation across Controls, Embedded Software, and Cloud Software layers. Author and maintain Interface Control Documents, system state machines, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test plans. Drive architectural trade studies balancing multiple solutions against customer and organizational needs.
**Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Alignment:** Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of Systems and Controls Engineers. Drive tight technical alignment with partner engineering teams including Embedded Software (RTOS task allocation, driver APIs, execution time budgets), Cloud Software (telemetry schemas, remote command interfaces, edge-to-cloud security, OTA update frameworks), and Mechanical & Electrical teams (sensor/actuator selection, dynamic plant modeling, pinouts, dynamic load limits, thermal envelopes). Establish modern Systems Engineering processes including Model-Based Systems Engineering, automated requirement traceability, and CI/CD for HIL testing.
**Controls & Algorithmic Integration:** Oversee the design, modeling (C++/Python), and validation of closed-loop control systems, state estimation, and sensor fusion algorithms. Ensure control models translate cleanly to target hardware execution without violating timing or memory constraints.
While you will not manage mechanical CAD or structural design directly, you will act as the primary systems partner to Mechanical and Electrical Engineering teams to ensure physical realities align seamlessly with the digital controls architecture.
**Requirements:**
- Education: B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or a related quantitative field
- Experience: 8+ years total engineering experience in complex connected physical systems (e.g., robotics, autonomous systems, medical devices, IoT hardware, aerospace, or automotive), with 2+ years in technical leadership/people management
- Systems Mastery: Proven track record owning the Systems V-model, writing system specifications, defining ICDs, and conducting system-level trade studies
- Full-Stack Context: Deep knowledge of closed-loop control theory (PID, state-space, trajectory planning, system identification); strong working knowledge of embedded real-time systems (C/C++, RTOS, SPI/I2C/CAN buses); practical understanding of cloud architecture patterns (MQTT/gRPC APIs, fleet management, telemetry pipelines, OTA architectures)
- Partner Alignment: Comfort working closely with Mechanical Engineers to incorporate physical dynamics, mass properties, and thermal/kinematic limits into digital system models
Nice-to-have: Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering, familiarity with functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, IEC 62304), hands-on experience developing HIL automated test benches for system validation.
