Senior Product Introduction Engineer

Helix Earth (Houston/Jersey Village, TX 77040) is a climate hardware startup commercializing Helix MICRA™, a breakthrough retrofit dehumidification system built on technology developed by our CEO during his time  hold a worldwide exclusive license from NASA and are moving fast toward commercial launch. If you're a senior engineer who wants to build real hardware that ships, solves a genuine climate problem, and works alongside a technical founding team, this is the role.

Helix Earth is seeking a Senior NPI Mechanical Engineer
, who will report directly to the Engineering Manager and Lead Engineer. The position will be onsite and located at our Houston, TX offices.

• You are a hands‑on mechanical engineer who brings rigor and creativity to subsystem development from concept through production.
• You know how to take designs through NPI
  , including drawing release, SOPs, and supplier readiness.
• You evaluate potential risks in design, processes, and components, and reduce them using FMEA
  , root‑cause analysis, and validation tests.
• You thrive in fast‑paced startup environments, designing, building, and iterating quickly to deliver robust, reliable hardware.
• You have a strong grasp of fundamentals (mechanics, materials, heat transfer, fluids) and use structured methods like design of experiments (
  DOE
  ) to drive decisions.
• You are fluent in modern computer‑aided design (
  CAD
  ) tools (
  Solid Works or equivalent) and comfortable taking designs into the shop to prototype and test.
• You collaborate naturally across electrical, controls, and manufacturing teams to integrate subsystems cleanly and on schedule.

• Lead mechanical subsystem design from concept to pre‑production, owning architecture, CAD, drawings, and specifications.
• Own NPI transition activities for assigned subsystems, including CAD and drawing release with revision control,
  SOPs and work instructions, component selection and sourcing handoff, and build readiness with Operations and Supply Chain.
• Plan and run design of experiments (DOE) to validate performance, reliability, and safety; analyze results and drive design updates.
• Build and iterate prototypes (rapid prototyping, machining, additive) and develop test fixtures and methods to evaluate components and assemblies.
• Lead the design & validation test process
  , including test plans, instrumentation, data collection, and reporting for design reviews.
• Plan and execute subsystem and component validation
  , including test strategy, fixture development, acceptance criteria, and results reviews.
• Lead reliability testing at component, subsystem, and system levels, including test plans, stress screening, root‑cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Drive DFM (design for manufacturing) and readiness for pilot builds in collaboration with manufacturing partners and suppliers.
• Perform analyses (tolerance stacks, stress, thermal, fluids estimates) to inform design decisions and ensure requirements compliance.
• Create clear documentation: CAD, bill of materials, drawings with GD&T, validation and reliability test plans, and work instructions.
• Conduct FMEA (failure mode and effects analysis) and risk reviews; implement mitigations and verify via test.
• Collaborate closely with electrical and controls engineers on sensors, actuators, and interfaces for integrated subsystem performance.
• Support vendor selection, quotes, and bring‑up; troubleshoot issues during prototype and pilot builds.
• Mentor junior engineers and establish best practices for review, test, and release gates.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of hardware testing, data quality, and iteration speed to support program milestones.

• B.S. or higher in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of experience developing mechanical subsystems in a startup or fast‑paced hardware environment, from design through pre‑production.
• Proficiency with CAD (Solid Works or equivalent), drawing creation, and revision control.
• Demonstrated experience with DOE
  , prototyping, and structured validation testing.
• Proven experience planning and executing subsystem and component validation with clear test methods and acceptance criteria.
• Hands‑on…