Senior Thermodynamic System Design Engineer

About us

We are not just building a company - we are driving a movement towards a sustainable, decarbonised energy future.

Our vision is to transform the global energy sector by delivering innovative long duration energy storage solutions. We help integrate renewable energy, stabilise grids, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Join us on this exciting journey to build the future of clean energy.

Missions:

You will be one of our first employees, a pioneer and a recognized expert leading the design of our innovative energy systems.

Direct Responsibilities:

The role of Senior system design engineer is to lead the model-based engineering design and techno-economics study of our energy storage system (ESS). You are recognized as an expert in your field and a key member on the technical team. You hold the following responsibilities:

• Establish and maintain a state-of-the-art technology watch (compressed air energy storage system, model-based engineering design of energy systems, applications of liquid pistons…):
• Search for recent publications and scientific articles and analyze them.
• Identify companies that develop relevant technologies and investigate further.
• Identify, read and analyze relevant patents.
• Lead the model-based engineering design:
• Define appropriate software with the CTO and manage licenses and upgrades.
• In collaboration with the CTO, propose and define promising architectures for the energy storage system.
• Make 0D calculations to assess most promising solutions.
• Build a database for simulations including use case scenario
• Create models on Matlab/SimuLink (or Dymola, or equivalent software) and run simulation to assess the expected performance of each solution in various configurations and parameter choices (sensitivity analyses)
• Build this simulation to be executable into a model-based Real-Time simulator data acquisition system (such as OPAL-RT)
• Propose improvements and iterate rapidly to reach desired properties.
• Lead the techno-economic study:
• Establish and maintain a cost database for the system.
• Identify the suppliers of the main components (pumps, motors, generators, turbines, valves, reservoirs, system control).
• Get quotes with cost, lead time and performances for these components.
• Define the power unit cost and energy unit costs.
• Optimize the design of the system to cost and performance constraints.
• Calculate the internal rate of return of the solution for each use case.
• Prototype and test solutions:
• Contribute to the technical risk analysis
• Propose experimental tests to verify assumptions and validate simulated results
• Propose test benches and experimental setups to reduce the technical risks
• Define technical performance to be reached by the prototypes
• Support the team in building the prototypes: architecture, design, choice of suppliers, components, instrumentation …

Responsibilities as team member:

• Technical
• Continuously document work with intermediate reports and final test/simulation results.
• Propose ideas to improve the overall system and discuss them.
• Participate in the intellectual property development: propose concepts for patenting, support the filing of the patent by explaining and writing technical descriptions and justifications.
• Participate in technical reviews (regular or specific) if needed.
• Share personal expertise and experience, best practices with other team members.
• Support other technical colleagues if needed (model and simulation, equipment, tests…).
• Interactions with external stakeholders:
• Deal with suppliers where needed: search for suppliers, contacts, get quotes. Prepare data for purchase order. Forward invoices and contractual issues.
• Identify tasks that could be delegated to a third party and coordinates the delegated work.
• Propose and support collaborations with top labs and universities.

Roles and responsibilities will evolve as the technical maturity of the project moves ahead.

Qualifications:

• Experience:
• You hold a Masters or PhD degree in Thermodynamics or any relevant field (Fluid dynamics, Hydraulics, Mechanics) from a top school or university.
• You have a minimum of 10 years of experience as an engineer or scientist working on thermodynamic systems (heat pumps, heat exchangers, compressors, expanders, engines…).
• You are an expert in thermodynamics and system design.

• Experience in liquid pistons, liquid-air direct contact heat exchangers, mechanical energy storage systems is a strong plus.

• Hard skills:

• Expertise in the fields of thermodynamics, system design, gas compression, heat exchange and fluid dynamics.
• Ability to drive technological innovation from concept to prototype and beyond with economic constraints
• Ability to design complex systems, study techno-economics and run design to cost optimization
• Ability to run model-based engineering design using Matlab/SimuLink or other software to estimate the expected key performance of our storage system (efficiency, response time, …)
• Ability to run CfD simulation and finite element calculation (ANSYS, COMSOL) is a plus.
• Experience of selecting, purchasing and using hydraulic, gas and power equipment (pumps, valves, motors, generators…). Knowledge of the supply chain.
• Experience with patent development and strategic IP management is highly desirable.

• You have excellent command / highly proficient in spoken and written English. Other European languages are a plus, not a must.

• Soft Skills:

• You have interest in technology and a deep understanding of technical development.
• You adapt easily to a fast-paced and changing environment such as startups'.
• You are able to explain in a clear and concise way complex topics.
• You have strong analytical, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• You are a very good team worker.
• You have a deep commitment to combating climate change and a passion for developing impactful, sustainable energy solutions.

Position based in Grenoble

Above all, you subscribe to the company's mission, vision, values (see our website: )

Job Type: Full-time

Status: Cadre

Pay: 50,000.00€ - 70,000.00€ per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in 38000 Grenoble