About American Turbines

The power grid was built for a world that no longer exists. Centralized generation, hundred-mile transmission lines, decade-long permitting cycles. Meanwhile, demand is exploding: AI data centers, industrial electrification, remote operations that need megawatts yesterday and can't wait for utilities to catch up.

American Turbines is designing small modular gas turbines, purpose-built for distributed power generation. Machines designed from a blank sheet to be manufactured at scale, clustered in arrays, and dispatched in minutes. Hundreds of units operating in parallel, dynamically matching load like a compute cluster matches demand.

We are a seed-stage company backed by the investors behind SpaceX, Boom Supersonic, and Hadrian.

About the Role

The Lead Engineer at American Turbines will own the entire technical trajectory of the company's first product, from thermodynamic cycle through prototype test through production design. This is the single most important hire we will make.

You will define what gets designed and in what order. You will set the prototype schedule and hold the team to it. You will make the technical calls that determine whether this machine runs or doesn't: compressor architecture, combustion approach, bearing systems, materials, test philosophy. When the prototype goes on the test stand, you will be standing next to it.

You will help hire and lead the founding engineering team: the first four to six people who will define the technical culture of this company for the next decade. You will help set the standards, and establish the pace.

What We're Looking For

Experience in turbomachinery, with at least one program taken from concept through prototype test or certification. Deep fluency across the disciplines, thermodynamics, aerodynamics, rotor dynamics, combustion, mechanical design, with the judgment to make fast calls across all of them. Hands-on experience with small gas turbines or turboshaft engines. Direct test stand time. A track record of leading small, high-output engineering teams on aggressive hardware timelines.

You are comfortable with ambiguity, fast on decisions, and willing to own the consequences. You have startup instincts even if you've spent your career at larger organizations. You know the difference between process that protects and process that paralyzes.

U.S. person required (ITAR).

Compensation

$155,000 - $195,000 base. Generous stock package.

To apply, please email careers@americanturbines.com with your resume and any links to recent projects.