Mechanical Design and Test Engineer

About the company

At Swift Solar, our mission is to unlock the full potential of solar energy. We believe that solar energy has vast untapped potential to power our lives, fuel economies, and strengthen supply chains, while protecting planetary health in the face of global climate change. The reality is that today's solar technology is good, but not good enough. 

Swift Solar is making solar better with its breakthrough tandem technology that harnesses the power of perovskite materials to create solar solutions that are not only more efficient than traditional technology but also more versatile, enabling applications ranging from space solar to utility-scale power generation. 

Swift Solar is a mission-focused startup supported by the US government and backed by world-class investors. It’s a long journey to bring a new clean energy technology to market, and we’re in it for the long haul, together. Join our extraordinary team building the cutting-edge solar technology that will shape the future of the global solar industry. 

A day in the life

As a Mechanical Design Engineer at Swift, you’ll help create equipment to make affordable, high-efficiency perovskite photovoltaics. Your main responsibility will be working with the equipment engineering team to design, procure, and install parts and assemblies for thin-film deposition and processing equipment. Your designs will help Swift improve process performance and prepare for manufacturing scale-up. 

On a typical day, you might design components for vacuum chambers and other process equipment, make drawings to send to suppliers to source high-quality parts quickly and cost-effectively, perform a thermal and mechanical analysis of a new assembly, work with technicians to install and troubleshoot an assembly, and contribute to developing Swift’s engineering practices and documentation standards. 

This role is expected to interact with process engineers and technologists to address their challenges by designing and procuring mechanical parts. Part of the job is developing and executing test plans and optimizing performance  of electro-mechanical devices designed in house and adapting commercial equipment to perovskite cells production processes. 

As an early hire, you’ll help craft Swift’s culture. In this role you’ll be interacting with every part of the company, which will naturally lead to many opportunities to grow your own skills and responsibilities. We encourage you to take full advantage of these opportunities.

You might be a good fit if you... 

• Have a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering or related discipline. 
• Have used 3D CAD software to design a variety of parts made by machining, 3D printing, sheet metal processes, and/or welding (SolidWorks preferred).
• Enjoy working with suppliers to get consistent quality parts, testing and troubleshooting systems that you and the team have designed.
• Have a desire to learn standards and best practices to help improve Swift’s engineering processes.

A strong candidate might bring one or more of the following...

• 3+ years of industrial engineering experience working with vacuum equipment or other materials processing equipment in photovoltaics, semiconductors, batteries, or a similar industry.
• Knowledge of proper dimensioning and tolerance analysis including ASME Y14.5M.
• Experience with design for manufacturability, assembly and serviceability.
• Past projects using computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis for flow, thermal, and structural simulations (using ANSYS or similar).
• Experience working with a formal document control system and release process for parts and drawings.

The logistics

• Compensation: Competitive package including salary, equity, and benefits
• Expected Pay Range: $90,000 - $130,000 per year
• The actual offer, reflecting total compensation and benefits, will be determined by factors such as relevant experience, skills, and other qualifications 
• Ideal start date: November 2025 - January 2026
• Job type: Full-time
• Location: San Carlos, CA (Swift Solar HQ)

What you’ll love about Swift Solar

• Work with purpose: Join our mission to unlock the full potential of solar energy and make a global impact. 
• Lead with innovation: Be part of an extraordinary team building cutting-edge solar technology - growth mindset; culture
• Thrive with benefits: Have 100% of your monthly premiums for HMO / PPO group healthcare plan options and 75% of your dental and vision insurance premiums covered by us. Employees also benefit from 401(k) matching, clean commuter benefits, and meaningful equity. 
• Invest in your career: You’ll grow your skills, your network, and your perspective at Swift. We’ll support you in attending conferences and taking online courses, as long as you share your new insights with the team.

We recognize that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often hesitate to apply if they don’t meet all the criteria. If you’re excited about this role and believe you can contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply—even if you don’t meet every qualification listed. We're eager to meet people from all backgrounds, and your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.

If you believe in our mission, but this isn’t the right job for you, please check out other career opportunities on our website and email us at careers@swiftsolar.com with any questions. And if you have a friend who would be a perfect fit, send them this link. Thanks!

Swift is an equal opportunity employer. We value an inclusive work environment and welcome team members of all backgrounds and perspectives.