Mechanical Design Engineer, Sustaining

THE ROLE In this role, you’ll be part of a team dedicated to sustaining and continuously improving our one-of-a-kind CO₂ technology—moving us closer to our ambitious goal of removing 1 billion tons of CO₂ by 2035. You’ll focus on design and process improvements, continuous innovation, and resolving performance challenges. By unlocking the full potential of our carbonation systems, your work will directly enhance reliability, efficiency, and impact—and help shape our fight against climate change. As part of the Pilot Engineering Team, you’ll partner with Maintenance and Operations teams to tackle real-world challenges and streamline processes, while collaborating closely with Mechanical Design and Controls Engineers to take ownership of products as they reach maturity and support them through end-of-life. Your work will include designing low-volume parts for demanding environments using a wide range of manufacturing processes such as welding, sheet metal cutting, and more. Working cross-functionally with teams across Heirloom, you’ll help select and integrate automation components—motors, actuators, and sensors—into your subsystem designs, driving solutions that push the boundaries of efficiency and operational excellence. You’ll also provide in-depth design-for-manufacturing and operations feedback to ensure our designs are cost-efficient, robust, sustainable, and capable of generating high-quality insights. WHAT YOU’LL DO - Support on the deployment of new and improvement of existing carbonation and regeneration systems — focusing on operability, reliability, efficiency, and uptime - Leads and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing process performance and reducing maintenance frequency - Performs root cause analysis - Design and implement tools, components, and system upgrades to enhance operational efficiency and process stability - Analyze system data to identify root causes of recurring problems and develop sustainable corrective actions - Work closely with Maintenance and Operations teams to troubleshoot and resolve equipment issues quickly, minimizing downtime - Mentors Ops - Is organized and leads projects when needed - Able to make quick & scrappy prototypes to support testing WHAT YOU’LL BRING - Minimum of 2 years of hands-on engineering experience, with expertise in mechanical engineering and hardware design - Experience working with industrial equipment, including sizing valves, actuators, servomotors, and sensors, paired with a strong ability to commission and troubleshoot complex systems - Experience with pneumatic and electrical systems, including low-voltage DC and AC circuits, and proficiency in wiring motors and sensors - Strong engineering fundamentals to solve technically complex problems using first principles, data-driven methodologies - Proficiency in generating 3D CAD models and producing clear, accurate 2D drawings aligned with production and inspection standards, including proper application of GD&T - Proven track record of collaborating cross-functionally to balance competing requirements and design priorities, supported by strong communication skills - Ability to take full ownership of subsystem performance and consistently deliver high-quality work on time - Passion for optimizing industrial process performance and delivering innovative, reliable solutions in dynamic environments Bonus points - Experience with powder and/or material handling systems - Experience on automated conveyor systems - Experience with NX - Skilled in electrical and control systems - Familiarity with lean manufacturing and Six Sigma techniques to drive process improvements You don’t have to have every listed requirement and skill to be a great fit. If you are passionate about this opportunity and think you have the skills to succeed, please apply! Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion We encourage you to apply if you identify as Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Hispanic or Latino, LGBTQ+ – or with any other underrepresented group – even if you don’t tick all the boxes in the description below. PERKS AND BENEFITS FOR ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES - Excellent health, dental and vision insurance covered up to 100% by Heirloom. FSA option. - 16 weeks paid parental leave for all Heirloom employees. - Generous stock options. - Unlimited PTO for exempt (salaried) employees & 120 hours for full time non-exempt (hourly) employees. - 401(k). - Monthly health and wellness reimbursement. - Annual education and conference budget. Our Principles - Radical Honesty. We strive to foster an inclusive environment premised on transparency and respect. We push for excellence, yet always remain thoughtful when challenging each other. - Persistent Optimism. We show up to work with optimism and don’t shy away from a challenge. We recognize that the ambitious nature of our mission requires hopefulness, dedication, and persistence. - Maximize Learning. Compounding knowledge is our key to victory - we continuously hone our crafts, seek the fastest paths to improve, and are quick to absorb and apply new insights. Why you should join Heirloom - We are solving the challenge of our generation. Climate change is an existential threat, and we need as many of the world’s motivated minds as possible to help. There is no greater challenge or opportunity than fighting climate change. - We are a world-class team. We are engineers, scientists, and concerned humans from a variety of backgrounds and experiences who are pooling our knowledge and skills to collectively build a more equitable, prosperous future for all. - We remain united, resilient, and optimistic. We recognize the magnitude of the challenge ahead of us, yet believe that we can contribute to mitigating the worst effects of climate change. It won’t be easy, but we won’t quit. We are backed by credible climate partners. We’re well funded by investors from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Ahren Innovation Capital, Carbon Direct, Microsoft, Lowercarbon Capital, ARPA-e and the National Science Foundation. Our early customers include Stripe, Shopify, and Klarna, and we’re building durable partnerships that enable us to tackle this decades-long problem.