Staff Mechanical Engineer - Vacuum

Location: Milpitas, California, United States. On-site. Occasional travel, nights, weekends, or on-call work may be required.

Salary: $166,000–$240,000 per year, plus equity and benefits.

Company

hirify.global designs and builds commercially viable fusion power plants and the equipment needed for the fusion energy industry.

What you will do

• Lead the design, integration, and validation of advanced R&D processing and thermal vacuum equipment.
• Define system-level requirements and develop design concepts linking mechanical precision to product quality.
• Establish engineering workflows and best practices guided by semiconductor standards.
• Lead mechanical system and subsystem design reviews with emphasis on manufacturability and design best practices.
• Collaborate with scientists, vacuum specialists, electrical engineers, and other cross-functional partners while maintaining critical interfaces.
• Drive projects from concept through assembly, testing, and implementation; report milestones and mentor engineering staff.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent industrial experience.
• 15+ years of experience designing and implementing complex R&D systems or semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
• Expertise in high-temperature structural design and complex thermal management in vacuum environments.
• Deep understanding of vacuum architecture, including material outgassing, seal integrity, and pump-down optimization.
• Expertise in 3D modeling with SolidWorks and/or NX, plus FEA and thermal simulation tools such as COMSOL or ANSYS.
• Hands-on experience with manual or CNC machining, prototyping, hardware troubleshooting, and transferring designs to the shop floor.
• Experience selecting and qualifying global vendors for specialized components or custom subsystems.
• Ability to lead effectively in direct and matrixed organizational structures.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs occasionally; perform stooping, climbing, standing, and extended sitting; work safely around industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics.

Nice to have

• Experience designing or integrating roll-to-roll systems for material processing.
• Experience building first-of-kind or experimental tools for semiconductor R&D or thin-film deposition.
• Familiarity with SEMI, ASME, ASTM, and other industry-standard mechanical codes.
• Experience designing precision motion and motor-controlled systems in challenging environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-paced environment focused on integrity, execution, impact, self-critique, and diverse perspectives.
• 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, professional growth opportunities, and team-building activities.