_{18th February, 2026}

Principal Mechanical Engineer | Thermal & Physics-Led Design | Deep Tech
Location: Sydney (Inner West)
Package: $160k - $200k + Super + Early Equity
  
The Challenge: First-Principles Engineering
This is not a standard machine design role. We are partnering with a heavily backed deep-tech startup who are moving from "lab-proven tech" to "mass-manufacturable product" in under 18 months. To do this, they need a Principal Mechanical Engineer who doesn’t just arrange components but understands the physics of what they are building.
  
The Role
You will take ownership of the mechanical architecture for high-energy reactor systems. This involves extreme heat, high voltage, and complex fluid dynamics.

• Thermal & Fluid Mastery: You will design cooling systems and gas flow paths for high-power active components. You must be comfortable verifying designs with CFD and first-principles calculations.
• Heavy Product Architecture: Design pressure-sealed enclosures and structural frames that can withstand vibration, thermal cycling, and 24/7 duty cycles.
• R&D to Production: Take designs from "works-like" prototypes to DFM-ready assets (die casting, injection moulding, sheet metal).
• Build & Test: You won’t just sit behind a screen. You will build your prototypes, design the test rigs, and analyse the failure modes in the lab.

Who We Are Looking For
You likely come from Aerospace (Propulsion), Power Generation, High-Performance EVs, or Process Technology (where heat and pressure are the enemy).

• You don't just trust the software. You can do the hand calcs to prove why the thermal simulation is correct (or wrong).
• Expert proficiency in SolidWorks.
• Experience designing integrated electromechanical devices (e.g., inverters, battery packs, thrusters, or reactors) is highly preferred over general automation/conveyors.
• You move fast. You treat "failure" as data. You are happy to sweep the floor or present to the Board.

The Offer

• Build hardware that eliminates gigatons of emissions from one of the world's most critical supply chains.
• Pre-IPO equity in a company funded by top-tier global VCs.
• Report directly to a CTO who values technical rigor and speed.

  
Next Steps: If you are a Senior/Principal Engineer who misses "Real Engineering" and wants to solve hard physics problems, apply now or contact Julian at ProFound People.

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