Role Overview
Ensurge is seeking a Hardware Development Engineer to design and execute equipment upgrades and hardware improvements across our pilot manufacturing lines. Reporting to the Head of Equipment & Facilities Engineering, this individual contributor role works hand-in-hand with equipment engineering, maintenance, and manufacturing engineering to turn recurring tool problems and process needs into designed, built, and validated hardware solutions.
This role spans the full lifecycle of a hardware improvement — from identifying an opportunity or chronic issue, through concept and CAD design, fabrication or procurement, installation, and validation on the line.
Key Responsibilities
Equipment Upgrade Design & Execution
- Design, build, and install upgrades to existing production and pilot equipment — from targeted fixes to full subsystem redesigns.
- Translate chronic equipment issues, reliability data, and process requirements into concrete hardware design solutions, in partnership with Equipment Engineering.
- Own upgrade projects end-to-end: concept, design, fabrication/procurement, installation, and validation.
- Design and improve custom hardware, mechanisms, and fixtures to solve problems that off-the-shelf equipment doesn't address.
Hardware & Mechanical Design
- Create detailed CAD models and drawings for fixtures, brackets, tooling, and custom equipment hardware.
- Apply sound mechanical design and tolerancing practices for equipment operating in vacuum, cleanroom, or precision handling environments.
- Specify components, materials, and vendors, and manage fabrication or outside machining through to delivery.
- Build and test prototypes before committing designs to full installation.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work daily with Equipment Engineering and Maintenance to prioritize upgrades based on uptime, MTBF/MTTR, and safety impact.
- Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to ensure hardware changes support process requirements, throughput, and repeatability.
- Coordinate with Technology (R&D) on tool modifications needed to support new processes or process development.
- Align with Quality and EHS on any hardware change that affects process control, traceability, or safety.
Testing, Validation & Documentation
- Validate new hardware and upgrades against defined acceptance criteria before handoff to production.
- Document designs, drawings, change history, and installation/maintenance procedures so upgrades are sustainable and repeatable.
- Support root cause analysis on equipment issues and translate findings into design changes, not just workarounds.
- Feed lessons learned from each upgrade into equipment standards and future tool designs.
What We're Looking For
- 3–10+ years of experience in mechanical or hardware design engineering, ideally supporting manufacturing or process equipment (semiconductor, battery, thin-film, electronics, or similar).
- Strong CAD proficiency (SolidWorks or equivalent) and solid fundamentals in mechanical design, tolerancing, and materials selection.
- Hands-on experience designing, building, and installing fixtures, tooling, or equipment hardware — not just modeling on a screen.
- Comfortable working directly on the equipment floor, troubleshooting alongside technicians and engineers.
- Able to move a design from concept to installed hardware quickly, without sacrificing rigor.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with vacuum systems, deposition tools, roll-to-roll/web handling, or cleanroom equipment.
- Exposure to controls, sensors, or basic automation (PLC, motion control) as part of hardware upgrades.
- Experience supporting pilot lines or first-of-kind manufacturing equipment.
- Background in laser processing, precision assembly, or material handling equipment.
- BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
Personal Attributes
- Hands-on and resourceful — comfortable designing a solution and then helping build and install it.
- Synergized with the team — seeks input from equipment engineers, technicians, and process owners rather than designing in isolation.
- Ownership mentality — sees an upgrade through from idea to validated, working hardware.
- Disciplined problem solver — fixes root causes, documents thoroughly, and builds toward repeatable standards.
- Low ego, collaborative, and comfortable in a fast-moving, scaling environment.
Salary Range: $121,000-$150,000. The base salary range is specific to California. The salary of the final candidate selected for this role will be determined by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.