Electrical Engineer

About Calectra :

Calectra is on a mission to electrify and decarbonize high-temperature industrial heat.

Our human societies are dependent on materials like cement, steel, glass, and chemicals. The process heat required for the production of these critical materials makes up a quarter of global energy consumption. Today, this process heat is fossil-based and accounts for 10% of global CO2 emissions. With many of these material production processes requiring very high-temperature heat, lower-cost alternatives to fossil fuel combustion have been difficult to develop.

Calectra is developing a novel thermal storage technology to lower the costs and emissions of high-temperature process heat for manufacturing industries. The Calectra thermal storage technology converts low-cost, off-peak, renewable electricity into high-temperature heat and delivers it to industrial manufacturers on demand. Calectra’s co-founder & CTO, Nate Weger, worked on the technology concept during his PhD at UC Berkeley / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Calectra’s co-founders, Nate and Pauliina, met at the US Department of Energy’s Cradle to Commerce program in 2023. Since then, the Calectra team is grateful to have been supported by Activate, NYSERDA, US Bank Foundation, and the California Energy Commission. We are a mission-driven and action-biased team aiming to make a dent in the climate crisis with Calectra.

We are seeking our fifth full-time team member, an Electrical Engineer, to source and test the electrical components of the thermal storage system, then implement those components in a laboratory-scale system with an eye toward industrial-scale operation. In this position, you will lead the electrical development of Calectra’s technology, overcoming the challenges that come up as we pursue the demonstration of a more complex and higher power system, and building a thermal storage system that is low-cost, safe, and reliable. Join our team to electrify industrial process heat!

What you’ll do :

Source and implement electrical components and sensors for lab-scale prototype

Control and analyze electrical performance, energy and mass flow, and system stability

Operate high-power (10-100 kW) conversion equipment

High-level architecture design of industrial-scale (1-100 MW) electrical systems

Perform cost studies on electrical system unit economics

Practice safe operating principles for working in high-power environments

Travel to and work on industrial manufacturing sites

Collaborate with Calectra team members and partners

What you’ll bring :

B.S. / M.S. / PhD in electrical engineering or related field

Experience operating 10-100 kW electrical components

Understanding of electrical system design and operation at the laboratory and industrial scales

Expertise in electrical component selection, installation, and operation

Experience with automation and controls equipment (motors, PLCs, sensors, etc.)

Proficiency with common electrical lab equipment (signal generators, power supplies, DAQs, soldering station, etc.)

Ability to work productively and respectfully on a collaborative team

Resiliency in the face of significant challenge

Would be nice :

Experience working with industrial-scale electrical equipment

Experience building, testing, and scaling new technologies

What we offer :

Annual salary of $102,000 - $140,000

Company equity

Healthcare, dental, vision insurance for employees and dependents

Unlimited vacation

Unlimited sick leave

401(k) plan with company match

Paid family leave

We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you’re excited about this role, but do not meet 100% of the qualifications listed above, we encourage you to apply.