Principal Mechanical Engineer - Web Handling (Roll-to-Roll)

Location: On-site in Milpitas, California, United States. The role may require occasional travel, nights, weekends, and on-call work.

Salary: $187,000–$270,000 per year, plus equity and benefits.

Company

hirify.global Systems develops commercially viable fusion power plants and technologies to accelerate the transition to fusion energy.

What you will do

• Architect next-generation roll-to-roll equipment, dynamic tension systems, precision accumulators, and high-speed winders and unwinders.
• Research and evaluate advanced web handling, winding, unwinding, and continuous material processing technologies.
• Translate scientific R&D objectives into integrated mechanical, electrical, thermal, and closed-loop control architectures.
• Model web dynamics and validate solutions for thermal buckling, lateral drift, scratching, tension transients, and other defects in flexible metal substrates.
• Establish engineering standards, design guidelines, testing methods, and risk-mitigation strategies for web handling and precision mechatronics.
• Lead supplier and contract-manufacturer partnerships while mentoring Staff, Senior, and Junior mechanical engineers.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field, or equivalent specialized industrial experience.
• 15+ years of experience leading the architecture, scaling, and implementation of web handling, roll-to-roll, converting, or complex continuous-processing equipment.
• Expert knowledge of closed-loop tension control, winder dynamics, lateral guiding, roller traction, nip mechanics, load-cell integration, and substrate stress distribution.
• Ability to integrate mechanical systems with motion controls, power electronics, and thermal management systems, and to lead multidisciplinary work without formal line authority.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds and perform extended periods of standing, sitting, stooping, and climbing.
• Must work safely around industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, and cryogenics.

Nice to have

• Advanced experience with SolidWorks or NX, multibody dynamics, nonlinear FEA, and finite-difference web simulations.
• Experience transporting narrow metal tapes, high-strength alloys, or delicate multilayer composite webs.
• Experience tuning multiaxis servo drives, dancer control algorithms, and adaptive tension loops.

Culture & Benefits

• Equity and competitive compensation.
• 13 company-wide holidays, flexible vacation days, and 10 sick days.
• Generous parental leave and health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with employer matching and professional growth opportunities.
• Fast-paced environment focused on integrity, execution, impact, self-critique, safety, and diverse perspectives.