Senior Mechanical Engineer

About Influit Energy Influit Energy is pioneering the future of energy storage with our revolutionary nanoelectrofuel (NEF) flow battery technology. Our rechargeable fuel system combines the rapid refueling of combustion engines with the clean efficient performance of electric batteries, offering a transformative solution for heavy-duty transportation, grid storage, and mobile power applications. Founded as a spinout from Illinois Institute of Technology and Argonne National Laboratory, and backed by the U.S. Department of Energy, Department of Defense, NASA, and leading investors. We are scaling a breakthrough technology that delivers high energy density, rapid refueling in minutes, non-flammable operation, and indefinite storage without degradation. Based in the Chicago area, our team of world-class engineers and scientists is moving from R&D to commercialization, and we are building an exceptional team to help reshape how the world stores and delivers energy. Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to serve as the lead and technical anchor for our mechanical engineering group. Reporting directly to the Director of Engineering, you will bridge the gap between leadership directives and physical hardware execution. This is not an advisory or purely theoretical role. As we transition from a startup into a structured engineering organization, you will be the arbiter for mechanical design decisions. Balancing executive goals, timelines, and cost against fabrication limits and shop-floor reality. We need a lead who can separate the essential signal from the noise, cut through analysis paralysis, and make decisive, defensible engineering calls without relying on fully defined specs or waiting for consensus. You will own physical hardware from experimental test cells and battery stacks through to fully integrated demonstration units. The ideal candidate pairs high-level architectural judgment with a roll-up-your-sleeves mentality: equally comfortable establishing CAD standards, mentoring junior engineers, and turning wrenches to assemble and troubleshoot prototypes in the lab. What You’ll Do (Key Responsibilities) Technical Decision Authority & Signal Filtering: Act as the hands-on technical authority for the mechanical group (approximately 50% design, 50% guidance). Actively filtering noise and translating ambiguous executive directives into actionable engineering plans. Balancing trade-offs and shutting down unproductive debates to maintain focus and delivery. Mechanical Standards & Group Leadership: Establish departmental design standards and design review protocols. Mentor junior engineers and cultivate a culture of pragmatic execution over academic perfection. Cell, Stack & System Packaging: Drive mechanical architecture for experimental battery stacks, test cells, modules, and enclosures. Optimize designs for structural integrity, compression, seal life, weight, thermal dissipation and cost. Test Benches & Fixture Development: Design and fabricate custom mechanical test benches, pressurized fixtures, and automated test stations to validate mechanical performance under varying conditions. Hands-On Lab Assembly & Validation: Build, instrument, and troubleshoot prototypes. Conduct pressure, leak, thermal, and load testing in the lab, developing safe testing procedures. Thermal & Fluid Systems: Design and integrate fluidic loops, manifolds, flow plates, heat exchangers, or air/liquid thermal management systems to support stable electrochemical operation. DFM & Vendor Management: Collaborate with machine shops, sheet metal fabricators, injection molders, gasket manufacturers, and external contractors. Create high-tolerance 2D fabrication drawings and manage vendor quote evaluations and procurement. Cross-Functional Electromechanical Integration: Partner closely with electrical and chemistry teams to integrate essential battery materials & components, busbars, cabling, sensors, actuators, and…

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