Principal Technologist / Engineer, Product Design

Join Energy Recovery and Help Build a Sustainable Future  

At Energy Recovery, we build products that help limit global temperature rise, reduce carbon emissions, provide safe drinking water for millions of people, and bring efficiency and sustainability to a range of industries. Our products help customers avoid approximately 19.7 million metric tons of carbon emissions per year -- equivalent to removing over 4.7 million cars from the road! 

In addition to innovating world-class products that help our customers and the environment, our employees enjoy a diverse, collaborative work culture, as well as extensive company benefits that support the overall wellbeing of our staff. This includes everything from generous health plans and time off, paid family leave, subsidized lunches and company events, and opportunities for charitable giving and volunteering in the community.  

Come find out why we’ve been a certified Great Place to Work for 3 years in a row!  

What You Can Look Forward To:

ERI is seeking a qualified candidate for an immediate full-time job opening for the position of Principal Technologist, located in San Leandro, CA and reporting to the Engineering Manager of Product Design team.  The Product Design team is part of New Technology & Product Development (NTPD) department and consists of a dynamic group of engineers with a wide range of backgrounds, several of them holding PhD and Masters Degrees. We are looking for a talented and energetic candidate who can thrive in a team environment, lead and deliver on R&D projects for new technology/new product development.

The position requires a well-rounded expertise in design, analysis and experimental validation of turbo machines and other high-pressure fluid equipment. A sound knowledge base in mechanics of fluids and solids is required. This position is responsible for hands-on development – component design, analysis, prototype fabrication, experimental validation and production release of rotating equipment such as pressure exchangers, pumps, turbines, turbochargers etc.  The candidate will spend bulk of their time working with a multidisciplinary team to develop disruptive technologies based on our proprietary isobaric pressure exchangers and the rest of their time supporting and expanding our current product lines. The position also requires strategic outlook for technology and products toward their commercial applications.

• Lead R&D projects (NTI/NPI) involving fluid machines such as pressure exchangers, compressors, centrifugal and reciprocating pumps, turbines, turbochargers etc.
• Lead / participate in the entire development cycle of a fluid machine including 1-D sizing (mechanical & hydraulic), engineering analyses, detailed design & layout prep, design/selection of rotor-bearing systems, seals & secondary flow paths, validation test rig development, experimental validation & release to manufacturing
• Leverage commercial tools such as SolidWorks for CAD, MATLAB for 1-D/2-D analysis, ANSYS Mechanical for structural analysis, CFX/Fluent for hydraulic flow path design optimization etc.
• Design prototype validation test rigs, integrate sensors, controls, data acquisition hardware/software (LabVIEW based) to obtain high quality data, perform validation testing in the lab and support pilot/beta testing at remote field sites.
• Work closely with other teams in Technology & Engineering, Project Management Office, Manufacturing, Quality Control & Business Units to successfully deliver on NPI/NTI projects.
• Follow ERI’s internal technology and development processes (PDLCM/RDF) and drive rigorous design reviews / documentation at each phase.
• Contribute to development of validated design tools and design practices.
• Other duties & projects as assigned.

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with 7+ years of relevant industry experience. Masters or PhD degree with emphasis on mechanics of fluids or solids highly desirable.
• Proficiency in commercial CAD packages such as SolidWorks required.
• Expertise in commercial FEA solvers such as ANSYS Workbench required.
• Familiarity with CFD analysis using ANSYS CFX/Fluent or Star CCM+ highly desirable.
• Expertise in design of high pressure mechanical systems, developing manufacturing drawings using DFM principles, GD&T, stack-up analysis, RCA, DFMEA, drawing up inspection & quality control plans highly desirable.
• Hands on experience with assembly, testing and experimentation, sensors/transducers, controls/data acquisition highly desirable.
• Experience with mechanical design of rotodynamic & reciprocating fluid machines such as compressors, pumps, turbines, pressure exchangers etc., a plus.
• Experience with thermodynamics modeling, heat exchangers, compressors and design of HVACR equipment a plus.
• Must possess a demonstrated ability to work/lead in a team environment, under pressure, manage multiple tasks, and be goal oriented.
• Ability to oversee and execute on assigned projects from start to completion in a highly analytical, detailed and precise manner.
• Familiarity with engineering standards such as ASME BPVC / API / ANSI / NFPA / UL / PED etc.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Position requires up to 10% domestic and international travel.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with options for family coverage
• Retirement Plans: 401(k) plan with company matching to help you save for the future
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation policy, paid sick leave, and paid holidays to ensure a healthy work-life balance
• Wellness Programs: Mental Wellness Support with therapy and coaching in addition to an employee assistance program
• Fitness Perks: Enjoy access to our on-site gym with an on-site trainer, yoga classes and gym reimbursement for remote employees
• Team Events: Regular team-building activities and social events to foster a positive work culture such as; ping-pong tournaments, gratitude lunches, and summer BBQs
• Referral Bonus: Earn up to $1,500 for referring friends
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Pre-tax savings for medical expenses, commuter, and dependent care, helping you manage out-of-pocket costs
• Tuition Reimbursement: Financial support for continuing education, including courses and degree programs to help you advance your career
• Paid Parental Leave: Generous paid leave for new parents to bond with their children and support family needs

We are an EOE/AA employer committed to workforce diversity.

No recruiters or phone calls.