Web handling/Film converting Expert at WindBorne Systems (Redwood City, CA)
WindBorne Systems· Redwood City, CA· $70k–$150k·
Role details
401(K) · Dental Insurance · Health Insurance · Vision Insurance · Unlimited PTO · Stock Option Plan · Office Food And Beverages
Summary
Design and scale balloon manufacturing processes by 100x, focusing on web tension control and film handling. Collaborate with R&D and CTO to optimize industrial systems and bridge traditional manufacturing expertise with startup innovation.
Job description
WindBorne Systems is supercharging weather models with a unique proprietary data source: a global constellation of next-generation smart weather balloons targeting the most critical atmospheric data. We design, manufacture, and operate our own balloons, using the data they collect to generate otherwise unattainable weather intelligence.
Our mission is to eliminate weather uncertainty, and in the process help humanity adapt to climate change, be that predicting hurricanes or speeding the adoption of renewables. We are building a future in which the planet is instrumented by thousands of our microballoons, eliminating gaps in our understanding of the planet and giving people and businesses the information they need to make critical decisions. The founding team of Stanford engineers was named Forbes 2019 30 under 30 and is backed by top-tier investors, including Khosla Ventures and Footwork VC.
WindBorne is looking for a Web Handling/Film Converting Expert who knows exactly what those terms mean and why they matter. We need to scale our balloon manufacturing process to meet demand, and we believe your expertise in handling thin films at industrial scales is exactly what we need. If you've spent years wrestling with web tension control systems, designing nip rollers, or optimizing film handling processes, we want your expertise.
This isn't your typical manufacturing role. We're building systems that need to reliably produce ultra-lightweight balloons at scale - combining proven industrial processes with novel challenges unique to our application. You'll be working directly with our CTO and R&D team to not just scale our production 100x, but to fundamentally rethink how we build our balloons. We need someone who can bridge the gap between traditional manufacturing expertise and startup innovation.
The role combines the best aspects of industrial manufacturing (proven processes, rigorous engineering) with the excitement of a cutting-edge startup. You'll have the chance to design entirely new manufacturing systems while drawing on your years of experience in web handling and film converting. Whether you're coming from the packaging industry, plastics manufacturing, or another related field, if you're excited about applying your expertise to new challenges, we'd love to talk.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Design and own a system to help scale our balloon manufacturing process by 100x
- Work with the CTO and R&D Engineers to make our balloons both more performant and more manufacturable
- Identify manufacturing issues and design and implement solutions
- Interface with technicians to teach new procedures and tools
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Years of experience designing web handling and/or film converting machines
- Desire to join a fast paced startup
- Excellent communication skills
- Proficiency in mechanical CAD and 3D modeling (we use SolidWorks)
- Experience working with outside manufactures and suppliers
- A solid understanding of physics
Nice to have
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in an Engineering field such as Mechanical Engineering
- Basic proficiency with the Linux operating systems
- Experience with rapid prototyping tools like 3D printing, laser cutting
- Contacts in the plastics manufacturing industry
BENEFITS
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Vision insurance
- Unlimited PTO
- Stock Option Plan
- Office food and beverages
SALARY
- $70,000- $150,000** We are considering a range of backgrounds and experience levels for this position and adjust our offers accordingly to be competitive with market rates.
LOCATION
1600 Bridge Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA. In person required.
Why work at WindBorne Systems
- Planetary impact: Every line of code and hardware design directly improves weather prediction, saves lives, and advances climate science.
- Engineering culture: “The Loonie Way” – high agency, obsessive problem‑solving, building from scratch, and iterating relentlessly. The team includes alumni from Project Loon, Stanford, and top aerospace/tech companies windbornesystems.com/careers.
- Hard problems: Autonomous systems in extreme environments, real‑time data pipelines, and cutting‑edge AI.
- Work environment: Based in Redwood Shores, CA; technology is invented, designed, and manufactured in the US. Roles are likely on‑site (many engineering and operations positions specify location). Offices are collaborative and mission‑focused.
- Growth: 38 open roles across engineering, operations, business development, and more – a fast‑scaling startup with multi‑year runway windbornesystems.com/open-roles.