Mill is a waste prevention technology company reimagining what it means to eliminate waste, starting with food. We build smart systems and infrastructure for homes, businesses, and municipalities that transform food scraps from landfill-bound waste into valuable resources, including chicken feed. Tens of thousands of Mill’s residential food recyclers are already helping households divert millions of pounds of food scraps every year, paving the way for our upcoming launch of Mill Commercial—the industry’s first end-to-end solution for managing, understanding, and preventing food waste in commercial environments (e.g. grocery, restaurants, food services). At Mill, we are passionate about building easy-to-use, beautifully designed technologies that keep food in the food system and out of landfills.
About this Role:
As a Hardware Test Engineer at Mill, you will be responsible for creating and overseeing the tests used to verify and validate the next generation of Mill’s commercial dry and grind technology. We are a small team and you will work cross-functionally with Electrical/Mechanical Engineers, Algorithms and Systems Teams to design and operate tests that demonstrate functionality and reliability of products and features. Because of this, you’ll also have key insights into influencing the direction of design and implementation of features necessary for the success of our products! We’re looking for someone who not only uses a thorough approach to test design, but also has the ability to get hands-on in delivering robust test apparatuses with clear and consistent outputs, both in results and in documentation.
Responsibilities
- Design and construct test apparatuses for characterizing, evaluating, and verifying product/system features and functionality
- Develop measurement methods from the ground up — selecting and integrating sensors and proving out fixture accuracy and repeatability
- Partner with algorithms and firmware teams to verify operational intent of features and systems under test, and advise on parameter adjustments
- Advise mechanical engineers on design changes based on test results
- Work with systems engineers to validate requirements with either benchtop tests or quick prototypes that corroborate theoretical models
- Stand up data pipelines to seamlessly visualize collected test results
- Write documentation with clear processes and procedures on test operation
- Create test reports and slide decks that highlight key areas of improvement for features and mechanisms, and advise on risks for development
- Diagnose and triage issues in the field, using hands-on troubleshooting and problem-solving to recommend solutions
Qualifications
Required
- BS and or MS degree in related engineering fields (Mechanical/Mechatronics, Electrical, etc.)
- 3-5 years experience working hands on in developing test fixtures and infrastructure
- Experience writing Python code to script tests for automated operation
- Experience through at least one or more product development cycles
- Demonstrated experience with working and communicating cross functionally between various engineering disciplines
- Hands-on experience with electromechanical integration and part selection
- Experience with measurement and instrumentation — including force, vibration, and temperature sensing — and a strong grasp of accuracy, precision, and error sources
- Strong communications skills through written, verbal and graphical presentation techniques
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively across the entire company
- Experience with data acquisition systems and IO computing devices (Arduino, Raspberry Pi) to configure test operations and collect data
Preferred
- Solidworks/Fusion/NX CAD proficiency
- Prior startup experience preferred
- Experience working with accelerometers, strain gauges/load cells, fluid handling systems, and/or air flow characterization
- Working with high powered appliances
- Experience with Jetson, Raspberry Pi CM, or other embedded compute platforms integrated into hardware systems
The estimated base salary range for this position is $130K-145K which does not include the value of benefits or a potential equity grant. A wide range of factors are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to skill sets, market conditions, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and business and organizational needs. At Mill, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role.
Skills Required
- BS or MS degree in Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical, or related engineering field
- 3-5 years hands-on experience developing test fixtures and infrastructure
- Experience through one or more product development cycles
- Demonstrated cross-functional communication with multiple engineering disciplines
- Hands-on electromechanical integration and part selection experience
- Experience with measurement and instrumentation (force, vibration, temperature) and understanding of accuracy/precision/error sources
- Strong written, verbal, and graphical communication and presentation skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across the company
- Experience with data acquisition systems and IO computing devices (e.g., Arduino, Raspberry Pi) to configure tests and collect data
- Experience writing code (Python or similar) to script automated tests
- SolidWorks, Fusion, or NX CAD proficiency
- Prior startup experience
- Experience with accelerometers, strain gauges/load cells, fluid handling systems, or air flow characterization
- Experience working with high powered appliances
- Experience with Jetson, Raspberry Pi CM, or other embedded compute platforms integrated into hardware systems
Mill Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mill and has not been reviewed or approved by Mill.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is positioned as competitive for several senior technical and business roles, supported by multiple six‑figure base ranges in recent postings. Total compensation snapshots commonly cluster in the mid‑ to high‑$100Ks for individual‑contributor roles, reinforcing a generally market-competitive posture for the Bay Area.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off coverage appears broad, including paid holidays, paid sick days, flexible time off, and an unlimited vacation policy, with some company-wide time off. The overall setup signals strong flexibility for managing personal time, though day-to-day use may depend on team norms.
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Healthcare Strength — Core health coverage is described as comprehensive, including medical, dental, and vision, alongside wellness programs and an FSA. The package breadth suggests a solid baseline consistent with tech-startup standards.
Mill Insights
What We Do
We’re on a mission to eliminate waste for good, starting with the food that ends up in landfills. Did you know that more than half of the food in landfills comes from home kitchens (ReFED)? And food in landfills turns into methane – which is 80x more potent than CO2 over a 20-year period (IPCC). At Mill, we’re working to turn kitchen scraps into food for chickens. This keeps food in our food system and out of landfills.
Why Work With Us
Food isn't trash. Mill keeps it from stinking up your kitchen – and the planet.
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