Mechanical Engineer (Early Career)

K1 Industries•Reno, NV

4d•Onsite

About The Position

K1 Industries is an early-stage company addressing the critical need for power infrastructure. We build and deploy modular power packages at scale. This role is for an early-career Mechanical Engineer who will contribute to the design, build, and testing of key components for our power plants. The engineer will work closely with senior engineers on real hardware from the outset, focusing on first-principles thinking and rapid iteration from idea to tested hardware. The product involves high-speed rotating machinery, dynamic loads, and high-power temperature management, offering a deep learning opportunity in these systems.

Requirements

A degree (or nearing completion) in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
Hands-on hardware experience from a lab, capstone, internship, competition team, or personal project.
Demonstrated ability to take a project from concept through design to a built and tested result.
Comfort with CAD software.
Solid understanding of core mechanical engineering fundamentals.
Willingness to own problems, seek help when needed, and work at a fast pace.

Nice To Haves

Coursework, research, or project experience with turbomachinery, engines, or rotating equipment.
Experience with high temperature, pressure, or speed conditions.
Exposure to gearboxes, couplings, generators, lubrication systems, or exhaust/environmental systems.
Previous experience in a startup, lab, or small-team environment with significant ownership.

Responsibilities

Translate design challenges into clear functional requirements.
Build early concept designs using order-of-magnitude estimates.
Apply first-principles tools such as free body diagrams, energy balances, and pressure/flow estimates.
Collaborate with vendors and the team to test ideas.
Produce 3D CAD models of components for layouts, interfaces, and clash checks.
Define subsystem specifications and mechanical, electrical, and flow interfaces.
Develop higher-fidelity CAD models toward an as-built level under senior guidance.
Analyze designs for mechanical stresses, vibration and fatigue, contact loads, tolerance stack-ups, thermal growth, and fluids under pressure and temperature.
Document analysis, design decisions, and reasoning clearly and concisely.
Oversee the fabrication of hardware and follow parts through to delivery.
Develop test setups, including structures and sensors, and create test schedules.
Conduct early and frequent testing to identify and resolve problems quickly.