Mechanical Engineer (E1/E2)

Do you want to combat the climate crisis through transformative building solutions? Do you want to use your skills to contribute to energy efficiency and decarbonization?  

Ecotope is looking for a highly motivated and creative Mechanical Engineer to support our design team by helping demonstrate the innovative technologies needed to decarbonize the building sector. We are a mission-driven company dedicated to transforming the building industry away from the use of fossil fuels to highly efficient all-electric systems. Our work at Ecotope focuses on three responses that the building industry needs to make to the climate crisis:

  • Electrify Buildings
    Aim to stop burning fossil fuels in our buildings and transition to highly efficient heat pump systems and other electric technologies.
  • Efficiency is Energy
    Work towards driving down the energy use in buildings to free up grid capacity for electric vehicles.
  • When Matters
    As our grid transitions to reliance on solar and wind generation, we strive to develop the technology to shift our energy use away from peak demand periods and into times of the day with plentiful solar energy.

As a Mechanical Engineer in Design, some of the things that you may work on include:

  • Design highly energy efficient HVAC and plumbing systems while demonstrating the most cutting-edge technologies for decarbonizing buildings.
  • Collect performance data in the field to help optimize system performance, learn lessons for product and design improvements, and validate effectiveness of new technologies.

Valuable abilities/attributes to excel in this position

  • Practical engineering design sense needed to integrate new technologies into real world building applications in new and existing buildings.
  • Ability to communicate with building owners, architects, contractors, and maintenance staff to help them understand and accept new emerging technologies.
  • Ability to take a first-principles physics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics approach to understanding energy use in buildings.
  • Change-oriented and able to approach new problems with little ego and a child’s mind; always seeking a better and simpler way of doing things.

The biggest challenges that you will face

  • Developing approaches that are new and innovative while also keeping it simple.
  • Finding solutions where multiple stakeholders benefit and win in a variety of ways. Our findings must be better than the alternative business-as-usual solutions.
  • Managing overlapping complex projects with multiple stakeholders and multiple funders.

Previous experience that will help you quickly engage with our work

  • M/E/P design experience in the building industry.
  • Engineering degree or engineering license.
  • Experience in the construction industry.
  • Advanced experience with MS Excel. VBA scripting a plus.
  • Strong writing skills, including the ability to write in a variety of styles and translate technical information for general readers. Excellent oral communication skills a plus.
  • Experience using high-level programming languages such as Python, R, or MATLAB for data analysis.
  • Experience working with heat pump systems.
  • Experience using energy modeling software – EnergyPlus, eQuest, or IES.
  • Experience using version control platforms – GitHub, bitbucket.
  • Field experience, including commissioning, building surveys, and/or construction experience.

Work arrangement:

  • This position is primarily on-site with 3 days per week required in our Seattle office for the first year or until able to work independently.

Benefits:

  • Eligible for quarterly profit sharing in addition to compensation package.
  • 100% paid medical benefits for employee.
  • 3% safe harbor to 401k regardless of whether the employee chooses to contribute.
  • 160 hours of Vacation + Sick and Safe time.
  • Office winter break closure between Christmas and New Year.
  • Complimentary unlimited ORCA card.
  • Up to $2k annually training/development funds.

If this sounds like an exciting opportunity to combine your engineering talent with your desire to address one of the most critical challenges of our time, then come join our team at Ecotope. We are looking for people who are aligned with our mission, seek life-long learning, want to work in a flexible hybrid work environment with a commitment to work-life balance, and who are not afraid to challenge the status quo with leading edge scientific advancements.

How to apply:
Please send your resume and cover letter to talent@ecotope.com, with subject line: “Mechanical Engineer (E1/E2) Applicant – Ecotope”

Submit one (1) PDF file containing:

  • Cover letter.
  • Resume, including list of hobbies or interests outside of work.