Staff Mechanical Engineer

Enphase Energy•Austin, TX

5d•$100,000 - $151,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Enphase Power Systems Innovation team in the CTO's office is responsible for defining, prototyping, and supporting Enphase's Solid State Transformer products. The team is an integrated, multi-disciplinary group looking for motivated individuals who can contribute and collaborate closely with the team to deliver innovative solutions. As a team member, you will solve some of the most exciting problems in the energy space and help shape the direction of our products. We are looking for a Mechanical Design Engineer with a strong background in the mechanical design and integration of electrical equipment — including busbars, wire harnesses, electronic board packaging, and connectors — who will own the integration of the support and control system for Enphase's first-generation Solid State Transformer product.

Requirements

Staff Engineer: BS + 8 yrs | MS + 6 yrs | PhD + 3 yrs
Ability to solve problems independently and work effectively on early-stage product development efforts with ambiguous requirements and tasks
Ability to take ownership of development tasks and manage various high-importance tasks simultaneously
Significant experience in the mechanical design and integration of electrical support equipment for power electronics, power conversion, or analogous high-power electrical products
Strong proficiency in busbar design — conductor sizing, laminated busbar stack-ups, insulation systems, thermal rise calculations, and mechanical mounting methods
Demonstrated experience in wire harness design — routing, connector and terminal selection, wire gauge specification, and harness drawing creation
Experience designing mechanical packaging for electronic boards, including thermal management, shock and vibration isolation, EMI considerations, and board-level interconnects
Expertise in electrical insulation coordination — creepage and clearance analysis per IEC 60664-1 or equivalent, selection of insulating materials, and design practices for medium-voltage (>1 kV) environments
Strong understanding of connector systems for power and signal applications — contact ratings, environmental sealing, keying, and mating cycle durability
Demonstrated ability to design for manufacturing — tolerance analysis, process selection (sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, injection molding, stamping, die casting), and close collaboration with manufacturing partners
Expertise in various joining techniques such as welding, adhesives, riveting, fastened joints, and press-fit connections
High proficiency with an enterprise CAD package (SolidWorks preferred)
Good communication and documentation skills
Strong hands-on mechanical prototyping skills

Nice To Haves

Proficiency with FEA/CFD simulation (thermal, structural, electromagnetic)
Experience with high-voltage (>1 kV) power conversion or switchgear equipment
Familiarity with common standards for electrical equipment (UL, IEC, NEMA, IEEE)
Experience with thermal management of power electronics assemblies (heat sink design, airflow path design, thermal interface materials, CFD)
Familiarity with EMC/EMI design practices for power electronics packaging
Experience with laminated or flexible busbar design and fabrication

Responsibilities

Design high-current busbar assemblies — including conductor sizing, layout routing, thermal management, and mechanical mounting
Own wire harness design and routing, including connector selection, terminal specification, cable management, strain relief, and harness drawing packages
Design electronic board packaging solutions — including enclosures, mounting hardware, EMI shielding, thermal interface management, and serviceability provisions
Specify and design electrical connectors and interconnect systems, ensuring reliable mating, adequate current ratings, and compatibility with assembly and service workflows
Perform electrical insulation coordination for internal mechanical components, including creepage and clearance analysis, material selection for dielectric performance, and compliance with relevant voltage class requirements
Ensure field-replaceable boards are accessible and documented with clear service procedures
Ensure the design is manufacturable— selecting appropriate fabrication methods, tolerancing for producibility, and collaborating with contract manufacturing partners to ensure smooth production ramp
Perform structural and thermal analysis (hand calculations and FEA/CFD) on busbars, mounting structures, and packaging assemblies to validate performance under rated and fault conditions
Produce 2D drawings and 3D CAD models, evaluate parts, and collaborate with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and contract manufacturing partners to bring your design to market
Specify key functional and performance requirements; design and execute verification test plans
Complete documentation for design, testing, and analysis
Hands-on fabrication of electromechanical assemblies and prototypes
Mentor junior staff