R&D Mechanical Engineer
GA Drilling
Job Description
Role Snapshot
You’ll design, model, and iterate downhole drilling systems that make ultra deep geothermal practical. You’ll work from Rio de Janeiro within the Pulse vertical, partnering with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality to move tools from prototype to commercial readiness. You’ll own the prototype to test to redesign loop, closing gaps between simulation and real hardware so tools are reliable, efficient, field-ready.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and analyze mechanical components and actuation systems for harsh downhole environments, selecting materials and interfaces for reliability under heat, pressure, vibration
- Build dynamic models and simulations, then plan and run tests to validate them, translating results into next design iterations
- Define test conditions from requirements, instrument rigs, analyze data, and quantify performance across hydraulic and mechanical domains
- Generate clear documentation, drawings, calculations, and risk reviews that enable build, integration, and compliance
- Troubleshoot field and lab issues, drive root cause, and implement design or process fixes that improve uptime and safety
- Collaborate across functions and suppliers to plan builds, commission equipment, and ensure on time, on spec deployment
What You Bring
Technical Toolkit
- CAD, FEA, CFD, GD&T, DFM
- MATLAB, Simulink, Simscape, data acquisition
- Hydraulics, fluid properties, thermal and stress analyses
- Materials for high temperature, wear, corrosion, sealing
- HSE standards, product compliance, design controls
Professional Experience
- Drive prototypes from concept through test design, execution, data reduction, and redesign decisions
- Bridge simulation and hardware by calibrating models to test results and updating assumptions to improve prediction fidelity
- Operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving R&D settings, prioritizing risks, schedules, and learning velocity
- Communicate crisply with cross functional teams, write test plans and reports, and maintain product files
- Nice to have
- Downhole or drilling tool design, oil and gas or geothermal domain exposure
- Field commissioning, failure analysis, and repair on complex electromechanical systems
- Experience with ANSYS or Inventor Toolchain, and mixed hydraulic mechanical control systems
Languages
- English - B2 (must have)
Benefits
- Employer pension fund contributions
- Flexible working hours
- Health Insurance plan for whole family
- Professional training and education free of charge and within working hours
- Transport and meal allowance
R&D Mechanical Engineer
GA Drilling
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Based on experience, salary range shared before interview
- Permanent contract
- Full-time (40h/week)
- Medior, Senior
GA Drilling
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
GA Drilling is at the forefront of the energy revolution, pioneering advanced geothermal drilling technologies to unlock clean, affordable energy from the Earth’s depths. Founded in Slovakia, the heart of Europe, the company has grown into a global organization with offices in Houston, Germany, the UK, and Rio de Janeiro. GA Drilling’s vision is to tackle the energy transition by making geothermal energy more accessible and cost-effective through innovative solutions that drill deeper and hotter than ever before. While geothermal remains a cornerstone of their mission, their groundbreaking technologies are also transforming the oil and gas industry. By enabling cost-efficient operations in ultra-deepwater and hard rock environments, GA Drilling is building a bridge between traditional energy sectors and sustainable, renewable solutions.
- Company Size: 51-200 employees
- Company Type: Multinational company
- Industries: design engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, energy, HW development, mechanical engineering, project management, R&D