Deep-Tech Thermal Energy Storage
Senior Plant Mechanical Design Engineer
Corporate R&D Institute · 5+ years · Target experience: 7–12 years
Mission
Turn process and thermal design requirements into mechanical systems that can be fabricated, installed and operated. Own P&IDs, layout, piping and equipment design through vendor coordination and site changes.
Key Responsibilities
- Integrate process content into P&IDs and design plant layouts, piping routes, tank, pressure-vessel and support concepts and interfaces, and maintenance clearances
- Review thermal expansion, supports, insulation, drains, vents and access for high-temperature piping
- Prepare equipment, piping, valve and instrumentation datasheets, BOMs, and purchasing and fabrication specifications
- Produce 3D models and fabrication/assembly drawings or review outsourced drawings and manage change history
- Resolve fabricator and contractor technical queries, site clashes, fabrication deviations and construction changes
- Participate in inspection, installation and commissioning and consolidate as-built design criteria
Requirements
- A background in mechanical, plant, naval architecture or chemical-plant mechanical engineering, or equivalent practical expertise
- 5+ years designing mechanical systems, piping or equipment for chemical, energy, power or industrial plants
- Experience reading P&IDs and designing plant layout, piping, equipment and support interfaces
- Experience coordinating technically with fabricators and contractors using 3D CAD and 2D fabrication drawings
- Ability to independently maintain consistency across drawings, BOMs and specifications through site changes
Preferred
- Experience with SolidWorks, Inventor, Creo, CATIA, AutoCAD Plant 3D or similar tools
- Application of ASME Section VIII, ASME B31 series or KGS Code
- Review of TEMA heat exchanger, pressure-vessel and high-temperature piping fabrication drawings
- Piping flexibility, thermal stress, structural, vibration or insulation design reviews
- On-site experience with outsourced fabrication, welding, inspection, installation and commissioning
About GIGAette
GIGAette is a KAIST spin-off deep-tech startup founded in 2023. We store industrial waste heat and renewable energy, then deliver heat, steam, chilled water and electricity at the temperatures industrial processes need.
Our core technology is IsoTES®, an isothermal thermal energy storage system. Instead of separate hot and cold tanks, a thermal boundary moves like a piston inside one tank to deliver heat at a constant temperature throughout discharge. Round-trip efficiency is over 95%.
Our headquarters, corporate R&D institute and demonstration site are in Jukdong, Daejeon. We are building two plants for different temperature ranges: a 3 MWh heat-transfer-oil plant for low- and medium-temperature waste heat, and a 0.7 MWh molten-salt plant at 550°C for high-temperature industries such as steel and aluminium. Core equipment completion is targeted for H2 2026, with full operation in early 2027.
We supplied a 1.5 MWh district-heating plant in Tsetserleg, Mongolia, verifying benefits for 188 people under KOICA CTS Seed 1. A follow-on Seed 2 project expands capacity to 6 MWh with KRW 700 million in funding and is now in local installation and commissioning. The system stores heat using entirely solar electricity to provide village heating. We are moving from proving the technology to supplying it and scaling up.
Why This Role Is Open
Why this role
We need someone to turn system calculations into real hardware
Even sound thermal calculations will not make a plant work unless tanks, piping, valves, pumps and supports are connected in a form that can be fabricated, installed and maintained. We need an engineer who records site changes as reusable design knowledge.
Your impact
Your drawings become fabrication standards for the next plant
Consistency across P&IDs, layouts, piping, BOMs and fabrication specifications reduces omissions and site changes. As-built drawings and change history become standards for the next project.
What you get
Work from basic design through fabrication and installation
You lead in-house mechanical basic design and outsourced drawing reviews. Detailed pressure-boundary and structural calculations and statutory sign-off are handled by fabricators, licensed firms and inspection bodies; you responsibly review their interfaces and deliverables.
Funding secured
Key Milestones
2023.05
GIGAette incorporated as a KAIST faculty startup
2024.04
KOICA CTS Seed 1 started — Tsetserleg district-heating demonstration; KRW 300 million government support
2025.04
Tsetserleg demonstration plant opened — 1.5 MWh thermal storage; 188 direct beneficiaries
2025.08
First seed investment — KRW 900 million; KRW 900 million cumulative
2025.09
Deep-Tech TIPS selected — IsoTES® development and demonstration R&D; KRW 1.5 billion government support
2025.10
KOICA CTS Seed 2 selected — notified on 27 October; KRW 700 million government support
2025.12
KOICA CTS Seed 2 started on 10 December — expanding Tsetserleg district heating
2026.04
Follow-on seed investment — KRW 700 million; KRW 1.6 billion cumulative
2026.04
Eco Startup selected — Ministry of Environment carbon reduction and CCUS; KRW 80 million government support
2026.05
KODIT Start-up NEST selected — 19th cohort, deep-tech track; accelerator with no direct grant
2026.08
Startup City Project selected — Daejeon regional startup package; KRW 290 million government support
2026.08
Follow-on seed investment — KRW 500 million; KRW 2.1 billion cumulative
2026.09
Scale-up TIPS selected — MW-scale demonstration; approximately KRW 2 billion government support
2026.09
Climate-tech top innovation award at Modu’s Challenge — startup league winner; KRW 40 million prize
Current projects
Current openings
We are hiring for these roles to build our demonstration plants. If your qualifications overlap, apply to the closest match; we can discuss a better fit during review.
Working Conditions
How to Apply
Or apply by email: hr@gigaette.com
Hiring Process
Total: about 3 weeks · Application review results are communicated individually after receipt