Fully aligned with the global challenges of the energy transition, Sweetch Energy is working toward a carbon-neutral world by developing a large-scale electricity generation technology that harnesses osmotic energy, naturally produced when freshwater meets seawater.
Our INOD® technology will enable us to generate clean electricity competitively from a massively available yet untapped energy source: osmotic energy.
We collaborate closely with major industrial partners such as the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) and EDF Hydro to deploy these solutions at scale. The first pilot osmotic power plant, located at the mouth of the Rhône River, aims to demonstrate the potential of this technology under real-world conditions.
Driven by a commitment to push the boundaries of renewable energy, our team combines scientific expertise with industrial vision.
You will lead the Product Development team within the Product & Process Engineering department. Your mission is to oversee the complete mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical definition of the osmotic generator—from the first prototype to design freeze—ensuring performance, reliability, cost efficiency, manufacturability, and regulatory compliance. You will manage 3–4 engineers and technicians (design, calculations, CAD) and act as the technical reference for the Materials, Systems, Validation, and Industrialization teams.
Key Responsibilities
Mini-stack architecture: Define and optimize the complete stack structure (electrodes, microfluidic channels, cell-pairs) while integrating constraints from electrochemistry, ion transport, and flexible material assembly.
Product definition: Specify the mechanical architecture of the module (compression, electrical interfaces) and manage configuration changes.
Team management: Plan tasks, supervise 3–4 engineers and technicians, and set KPIs (efficiency, part cost, lead times, TRL).
Calculation & simulation: Oversee FEM/CFD analyses (compression, static, thermal, pressure drop) and validate design assumptions.
Testing & validation: Define test plans (leakage, aging, efficiency), analyze results, and implement design corrections; work closely with the Prototype Workshop Manager, who oversees physical prototype fabrication.
Manufacturing & assembly technologies: Select and validate machining, molding, welding, bonding, and metrology processes for module mechanical components.
Skid design: Design the mechanical enclosure of the skids, define all fluid and electrical supplies for plug & play module integration, and ensure compliance with standards for electrical devices in industrial environments.
Industrialization: Collaborate with the Process Team to translate the design into assembly workflows, choose materials and processes, and establish tolerances and control plans.
Documentation & certification: Compile the definition package (3D/2D drawings, BOMs, calculation notes, FMEA, regulatory dossiers) and lead DfX reviews.
Supplier management: Draft specifications, participate in technical reviews, monitor quality and timelines, and qualify key subcontractors.
Continuous improvement: Leverage lessons learned from prototypes and pilot runs to reduce costs, surface density, and the carbon footprint of the module.
Mechanical or industrial engineer (Arts & Métiers, Mines Paris, CentraleSupélec, INSA, Grenoble INP-GI, or equivalent).
10 years of experience in designing complex mechanical systems integrating fluidics or electrochemistry (batteries, fuel cells, heat exchangers, medical devices, etc.), including 5 years in R&D team management.
Advanced proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or equivalent) and simulation tools (Ansys, Abaqus, COMSOL).
Strong expertise in DFM/DFA, DfX reviews, product/process FMEA, and machine/pressure safety standards.
Proven experience from prototype development to pre-series, supplier interactions, and FAT/SAT audits.
Leadership skills, strong communication, ability to make decisions under uncertainty, and capacity to unite a multidisciplinary team.
Fluent in English (technical documentation, international supplier communication).