Senior Mechanical Research Engineer, Physical R&D
Gridware
San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted on Aug 30, 2025
About Gridware
Gridware is a San Francisco-based technology company dedicated to protecting and enhancing the electrical grid. We pioneered a groundbreaking new class of grid management called active grid response (AGR), focused on monitoring the electrical, physical, and environmental aspects of the grid that affect reliability and safety. Gridware’s advanced Active Grid Response platform uses high-precision sensors to detect potential issues early, enabling proactive maintenance and fault mitigation. This comprehensive approach helps improve safety, reduce outages, and ensure the grid operates efficiently. The company is backed by climate-tech and Silicon Valley investors. For more information, please visit www.Gridware.io.
Role Description
At Gridware, our devices act like the nervous system of the electrical grid - sensing mechanical and electrical disturbances across thousands of miles. As a Senior Mechanical Research Engineer, you’ll help decode those signals, uncovering the physics behind what our sensors detect and turning that knowledge into better sensing performance and reliability.
You’ll bridge the gap between research and engineering, designing experiments, simulations, and hardware-in-the-loop tests that reveal how real-world phenomena - like faults, shocks, or environmental events - translate into measurable signals. Your work will strengthen the grid’s “reflexes,” enabling faster detection, smarter response, and safer communities.
This is a highly hands-on, experiment-driven role at the intersection of physics, engineering, and data - ideal for someone who loves using physical intuition, computation, and experimentation to solve real-world problems.
What You'll Do
- Own and be the subject matter expert for our product measurement chains: from the underlying physics of the mechanical phenomena we detect, to their translation into sensor voltage changes, to their algorithmic implementation in firmware.
- Lead the development of product requirements for physical measurements: define the performance needed to measure the meaningful mechanical phenomena that occur around the electrical grid. Select and test sensors to these requirements using methods you develop.
- Develop physical experiments and hardware-in-the loop testbeds to emulate real-world phenomena and answer scientific questions about technology performance.
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, product development engineers, and product managers.
What We're Looking For
- MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with 7+ years of industry experience, or PhD with 5+ years.
- Proven track record developing and validating performance requirements for physical, mechatronic, or sensing systems.
- Hands-on experience designing and executing physical experiments, ideally involving dynamic or vibration-based systems.
- Strong fundamentals in dynamics, kinematics, mechanics of materials, vibrations, and/or robotics.
- Proficiency in MATLAB or Python for simulation, data analysis, and scientific computing.
Bonus Skills
- Experience prototyping and testing mechatronic or robotic systems end-to-end (design → build → test → analyze).
- Familiarity with IoT or sensor-integrated systems that capture dynamic, real-world data.
- Strong background in applied mathematics (linear algebra, ODEs, numerical methods, or dynamical systems).
- Understanding of measurement system theory, calibration, and validation.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional research initiatives with tight timelines.
This describes the ideal candidate; many of us have picked up this expertise along the way. Even if you meet only part of this list, we encourage you to apply!
Benefits
Health, Dental & Vision (Gold and Platinum with some providers plans fully covered)
Paid parental leave
Alternating day off (every other Monday)
“Off the Grid”, a two week per year paid break for all employees.
Commuter allowance
Company-paid training