Job description
Antora Energy delivers affordable, reliable energy to industry, data centers, and the grid. Our thermal batteries turn low-cost electricity into always-on heat and power, without supply-constrained critical minerals or multi-year construction timelines.
We are growing our company with people who put team and mission first, value connection through laughter and joy, and work with humility and openness. We are committed to building a diverse, passionate, and creative team dedicated to a future powered by abundant, clean, low-cost energy.
Position Summary
Antora Energy is seeking a self-driven and passionate individual to join our engineering team to deliver zero-carbon industrial heat and power with our novel solid state thermal battery. We are a tight-knit team that loves what we do and we strive to have an impact, working with humility and openness while building lifelong relationships along the way. The Mechanical Engineer will scope, define, and design novel mechanical systems and components for balance-of-plant (BOP) process systems for Antora Energy's thermal energy storage projects across test and commercial sites. You will be a key technical member of a cross-functional and rapidly growing organization. Your work will directly contribute to the testing and commercial deployment of an innovative long-duration energy storage technology.
You will be responsible for mechanical design of high-temperature heat transfer and process fluid systems - piping, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and steam generation equipment - operating at elevated temperature and MW scale.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Full lifecycle ownership of plant mechanical components and system
- Develop detailed mechanical design for first of a kind pressure vessels, piping and process components, meeting critical performance, cost and scalability requirements.
- Perform thermal-mechanical analysis of hot components: differential thermal expansion between coupled structures, creep, thermal cycling/fatigue, thermal shock, and insulation/heat-loss trade-offs.
- Select valves, seals, instruments, and fittings for hot process fluid service (gas, liquid, or two-phase), including leak-tightness, material compatibility, and actuation at temperature.
- Identify, develop and work with vendors enabling design execution
- Create and implement test plans to validate performance, assembly and lifetime
Key Qualifications
- Bachelors or equivalent in an engineering field (e.g. chemical, mechanical, industrial, etc.) and/or 4+ years' experience in industrial applications engineering (oil & gas, chemicals, power plants, etc.)
- Demonstrated experience solving novel engineering problems through commercial deployment
- Experience with industrial mechanical equipment: Pressure Vessels, Pumps, Heat Exchangers, Air Coolers, Fans, Tanks, Piping, Valves.
- Experience designing equipment for elevated-temperature service (>400 °C): materials selection, allowable evaluation, high-temp sealing.
- Understanding of process-fluid hazards and their mechanical design implications (inert gas asphyxiation, hot fluid release, freeze/solidification, corrosion).
- Working knowledge of piping and pressure vessel codes, including ASME BPVC, ASME B31, PED 2014/68/EU, CSA B51, etc
Additional Qualifications Desired
- Deep engineering experience and intuition, ideally with background in:
- Multi-wall, jacketed, trace-heated, or vacuum-insulated piping system experience
- Familiar with concentrated solar, HRSG/boiler, nuclear primary systems, industrial furnaces, or cryogenic process equipment
- Use of one or more of AutoCAD, Solidworks, COMSOL, ANSYS,
- Holds a PE in one or more related disciplines
Work Location: Onsite - San Jose, CA
Salary Range: $154,000 - 185,000
Salary Basis: Annually
Please note that the salary range listed above reflects Antora Energy's estimated pay for this position. The actual salary offered will be within the posted range and determined based on several factors including but not limited to a candidate's experiences, credentials and expertise, as they pertain to the position's requirements.
In addition to a competitive base salary, Antora Energy's Total Rewards program includes equity compensation in the form of stock options, a premium health benefits package with life and disability insurance, a 401K plan with employer contributions, flexible spending accounts, and an industry leading paid-time-off policy that features flexible and inclusive holiday observance, as well as paid volunteer time off.
Benefits
Compensation & Paid Time Off
- Competitive salary
- Stock options
- 401k plan with company match
- Clean commute stipend
- 15 paid vacation days per year, increasing with tenure
- 12 paid holidays (10 fixed, 2 of your choosing)
- 16 hours of volunteer time off
- 16 weeks of paid parental leave
- 24 hours of wellbeing time off
Health & Wellness
- Comprehensive medical coverage for employees & dependents
- Health savings account option with employer contribution
- Vision, dental, and life coverage
- Flexible spending account & dependent care account options
- Subsidized backup childcare, senior care, and petcare
- 80 hours of sick leave
- Personalized access to mental health support
Facilities & Community
- Kitchen with a variety of healthy snacks & drinks
- On-site gym with fitness equipment
- On-site showers and bike parking
- Dedicated mother's room
- Team volunteer events
- Monthly social gatherings
- Foosball table and lawn games for breaks and friendly competition
Pay & benefits
About this role
About Antora Energy
Company Overview
Antora Energy
HeadquartersSunnyvale, CA, United States
Founded2018
SizeEmployee count is not publicly specified, and as a private company, no revenue figures are disclosed for 2023 or later (source: cbinsights.com).
What They Do
Antora Energy is a pioneering private renewable energy company that specializes in thermal energy storage solutions aimed at decarbonizing industrial heat and power. Founded by a team of experts with advanced degrees from Stanford and MIT, the company focuses on innovative technologies such as thermophotovoltaics (TPV) and scalable energy systems. Their core product is a modular thermal battery that stores renewable electricity as heat in solid carbon blocks, which can be heated to extremely high temperatures for multi-day storage and then discharged as industrial heat or electricity (source: research.contrary.com; antora.com).
The technology is designed to address the significant emissions produced by the industrial sector, which accounts for nearly one-third of global emissions. Antora's thermal batteries are capable of achieving over 40% heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency, making them a cost-effective alternative to traditional energy storage solutions. The company targets heavy industries such as chemicals, mining, food and beverage, oil and gas, cement, and steel, providing solutions that require continuous high-temperature heat and power (source: energy.mit.edu; antora.com).
Antora differentiates itself from competitors by offering dual heat and power output, high efficiency of TPV cells, and the ability to operate at extreme temperatures. Their manufacturing operations are based in the United States, ensuring quality and reliability in production. The company also employs a Heat-as-a-Service model, allowing clients to avoid upfront capital costs by installing batteries and purchasing heat or electricity under long-term contracts (source: antora.com; cbinsights.com).
Projects & Track Record
In 2023, Antora Energy successfully commissioned its first commercial-scale thermal battery, a 5 MWh system located near Fresno, California. This project, developed in partnership with Wellhead Electric, is notable for being the world's first operational thermal battery utilizing carbon blocks and TPV technology, providing continuous industrial heat and power. This pilot project marks a significant milestone in Antora's journey towards commercial deployment across various sectors, with plans for future projects in industries such as chemicals, mining, food and beverage, and oil and gas, some of which are expected to be operational by 2025 (source: research.contrary.com; energy.mit.edu).
Additionally, Antora opened a state-of-the-art 50,000 square foot manufacturing facility in San Jose, California, in 2023, which is recognized as the world's largest TPV manufacturing operation. This facility is designed to produce TPV cells and assemble batteries, with an annual capacity of 2 megawatts, further solidifying Antora's position as a leader in thermal energy storage technology (source: cbinsights.com; research.contrary.com).
Recent Developments
Antora Energy has made significant strides in recent years, including raising $150 million in a Series B funding round in early 2024, led by Decarbonization Partners, which includes BlackRock and Temasek. This funding brings the company's total equity funding to approximately $204.73 million, aimed at scaling thermal battery production to meet the growing demand for zero-emissions energy solutions. In 2023, the company also launched its commercial-scale batteries and received over $4 million in grants from the California Energy Commission and ARPA-E to support its TPV expansion efforts (source: antora.com; cbinsights.com).
Moreover, Antora's innovative technology earned recognition in 2023, winning TIME’s Best Inventions and Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas awards, highlighting the impact of their thermal battery solutions on the renewable energy landscape. The merger with Medley Thermal has also enhanced Antora's capabilities by integrating software solutions for industrial boiler systems, further improving deployment efficiency (source: research.contrary.com).
Working There
Antora Energy offers a range of career opportunities across various departments, including engineering, software integration, commercial operations, and research and development. The company is particularly focused on hiring talent to support its manufacturing operations and project deployments, with job openings primarily located in their Sunnyvale and San Jose offices. The culture at Antora emphasizes rapid iteration and collaboration among a team of professionals with backgrounds from prestigious institutions like Stanford and MIT, fostering an environment that is mission-driven and focused on deploying large-scale battery solutions globally (source: climatetechlist.com; research.contrary.com).
While specific employee benefits are not extensively documented, the company's Heat-as-a-Service model and focus on long-term operations suggest a commitment to stability and predictability for its workforce. Antora's emphasis on creating jobs in the US is also highlighted in their funding announcements, reflecting their dedication to contributing positively to the local economy (source: antora.com).
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