Mechanical Engineer — Product Development

Mechanical Engineer — Product Development

Tesel · Remote (US or UK) · Contract or Full-Time

About Tesel

Tesel is building premium architectural lighting tiles that reproduce the full spectrum of natural sunlight. Each tile is a hexagonal module machined from premium aluminum with precision glass optics and a 7-channel LED spectral engine. The product is sold through architects and lighting designers for hospitality, commercial, and high-end residential spaces.

We are seed-funded and moving into engineering validation. This is the first engineering hire.

The Role

You will own the mechanical design and manufacturing path for the Tesel tile system from EVT through production. The enclosure is the product. Machined aluminum, powder coated, with a glass-to-metal interface that needs to feel permanent and precise.

This means you own:
• Enclosure and structural design for the hexagonal tile and its mounting system
• Thermal path from LED board through aluminum chassis to ambient air
• DFM optimization for CNC machining at volume (cycle time, fixture strategy, tool access)
• Surface finish specification: powder coat selection, adhesion prep, color matching
• Glass retention and sealing against the aluminum body
• Mechanical integration of edge connectors for power and data between tiles
• Tolerance stack-ups across the assembly
• Contract manufacturer selection and management, primarily in Asia
• NPI ownership from first article through DVT builds of 20-50 units

You will work directly with the founder (who owns the electronics and firmware) and collaborate with an industrial designer defining the product's visual language.

You Should Have
• Experience taking at least one machined aluminum product from prototype through production tooling and first production run
• Strong understanding of CNC machining constraints: how internal radii, wall thicknesses, and pocket depths affect cycle time and cost
• Experience specifying and managing surface finishes on aluminum (anodizing, powder coat, bead blast)
• Familiarity with thermal management in sealed or semi-sealed enclosures
• Experience working with Asian contract manufacturers for precision machined parts
• Proficiency in SolidWorks or equivalent parametric CAD
• Comfort working at an early-stage company where you are the entire mechanical engineering function

Nice to Have
• Background in consumer electronics, premium audio, architectural hardware, or lighting products
• Experience with glass-to-metal assemblies or optical component integration
• Exposure to products where the enclosure is a primary selling point, not just a housing

Compensation

Competitive salary or contract rate depending on structure. Equity participation for the right candidate. This is a foundational role at a company where design quality is the product.

To Apply

Send a note about a product you took from prototype to production and what broke along the way. That tells us more than a resume.

[email protected]