Field Applications Engineer (HVAC)
About Helix Earth
Helix Earth (Houston / Jersey Village, TX 77040) is a clean tech startup fixing how buildings handle humidity. Air conditioning is on track to account for 10% of global CO2 emissions by 2050, and most of that energy is wasted fighting humidity. We spun out of Rice University and NASA in 2022 to solve it. Our core technology was developed by our CEO while he was at NASA, and we are now adapting it to dramatically cut AC energy use and improve indoor air quality.
Helix Earth has won numerous awards including the Smart Cities pitch contest at SXSW, and our Co-Founder Dr. Rawand Rasheed was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 for Energy and Green Tech.
About the Role
Helix Earth is seeking a senior, self-driving Field Applications Engineer to own the pilot and deployment program for the Helix MICRA™ end to end. This role exists to create leverage: today our engineering team is pulled onto pilot and deployment work, which slows core product development. You will take this domain over outright: full ownership of getting units deployed in the field, and of the enablement package that lets third-party installers and service technicians deploy Helix units at scale without a Helix engineer on site.
This is a hands-on, onsite role for someone who runs a workstream end to end without needing direction on it. You will run pilots, size and spec units for real sites, build the installation and service materials that make deployment repeatable, and be the customer-facing owner who makes scaled deployment happen. You will ramp directly with the Director of Engineering to come up to speed on our technology and building-physics methods, then transition to report into Product as the company scales deployment and operations. As deployment volume grows, you will build and lead the applications and deployment team.
What You Will Own
- Pilot program, end to end. Drive and coordinate the pilot program from site intake through commissioning and results, not just support it. Own timelines, site readiness, hand-offs, and follow-through so pilots run independently of core engineering.
- Equipment sizing and applications analysis. Perform building load calculations and equipment sizing for prospective and active sites, translating site and customer requirements into recommended Helix MICRA™ configurations. Build the standard sizing methods, calculation templates, and documentation that make this work fast, repeatable, and auditable.
- Deployment and channel enablement. Build the materials that let third parties install and service units without Helix engineers present: installation instructions, mounting and integration guides, commissioning checklists, troubleshooting guides, servicing guidelines, and service videos.
- Third-party installer readiness. Enable and validate external installers and service technicians. Test and refine the instructions against real installer groups, confirm they can deploy and service units correctly from the documentation alone, and close the gaps you find.
- Customer-facing deployment ownership. Be the customer-facing person who makes deployment happen at scale, from pre-sale technical scoping through installed-and-running.
- Applications workflow and engineering hand-off. Establish the intake, turnaround expectations, and escalation path so standard sizing and deployment work stays with you and only true edge cases route to engineering.
- Forward scaling. Continuously reduce how much Helix has to be directly involved in each deployment. Feed field learnings back into sizing assumptions, methods, and enablement materials so each successive deployment needs less hand-holding.
About You
You are a senior HVAC applications or field engineer who operates independently and takes full ownership of a workstream. You can run building load calculations and equipment sizing on your own, and you are equally comfortable in the field: on site, coordinating installers, and troubleshooting real deployments. You communicate cleanly with engineers, customers, and third-party installers alike, and you have a bias toward building the templates, documentation, and standard work that let a function scale. You want to be hands now and build and lead a team as we grow.
Qualifications
- 5+ years in HVAC applications, field engineering, or sales engineering, with direct commercial HVAC deployment or applications experience.
- Ability to perform building load calculations and equipment sizing independently, using standard commercial load methods and tooling.
- Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of a technical workstream: self-directed, with reliable follow-through under volume and without close oversight.
- Solid understanding of commercial HVAC systems: rooftop units (RTUs), ERVs, airflow, OA/RA mixing, and dehumidification fundamentals.
- Working knowledge of refrigeration-cycle components (compressors, heat exchangers, refrigerant types) sufficient to reason about equipment fit.
- Strong technical writing skills, with real experience producing installation guides, service procedures, SOPs, or equivalent field-facing documentation.
- Field and customer-facing experience: site visits, installation or commissioning coordination, and hands-on troubleshooting.
- Willingness to travel to pilot and customer sites as deployment requires.
- Strong communication skills across engineering, commercial, and installer/technician audiences.
- Ability to work effectively across functions in a fast-moving startup environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
- Experience with commercial rooftop / RTU applications and field integration constraints.
- Experience enabling or training third-party installers or service networks.
- Pre-sales or customer-facing technical experience.
- Exposure to dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) or dehumidification technologies.
- Familiarity with psychrometrics and energy calculations.
- Experience building or leading an applications, field, or deployment function, or clear readiness to grow into it.
Why Helix Earth
- Take your career to the next level in a fast-growing startup, where your responsibilities and impact extend beyond traditional roles
- Work at the frontier of HVAC innovation, developing and scaling technologies that transform comfort and energy use in buildings
- Own a function from the ground up with a clear path to building and leading a team
- Collaborate with a driven, mission-aligned team focused on high impact and fast execution
- Help shape the future of cooling and carbon removal technology
Benefits
- Competitive salary + equity in the company
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching
- Flexible time off
- Growth potential in a rapidly scaling company
NO RECRUITERS
