Senior CAD Engineer

Aether is building a comprehensive AI-driven platform for the built world. Our core software is used by solar, roofing, and heat pump companies to deliver advanced 3D modeling, simulation, quoting, and financing tools — all in one powerful interface. We combine deep technical rigor with real-world utility, leveraging physics-based modeling, AI, and scalable infrastructure.

Founded by alumni of UC Berkeley, École Polytechnique, and ETH Zurich, we bring experience from leading energy and software companies.

Aether is a recent graduate of YCombinator, and has raised over $6M in funding.

Check us out: https://www.aethergtm.com

We're looking for a sharp, ambitious Frontend Engineer with strong CAD / 3D skills to take ownership of key parts of our in-browser solar configurator — a Three.js-powered design engine that lets users model rooftops and design solar systems in 3D.

You'll join our existing configurator team and work directly with our CTO, computational engineers, and product team. While the CAD engine is already in production, we’re building entirely new 3D functionality (e.g. full 3D site visualization, generative design workflows, performance tuning, etc.) that will require strong technical skill and creativity.

Beyond 3D, you'll also take on regular frontend features across the Aether platform — this is a hybrid CAD + product role for someone excited to stretch across UX, engineering, and real-time geometry.

We use Three.js and React Three Fiber (R3F) as part of our tech stack, and expect deep familiarity with 3D frontend work and strong problem-solving instincts. If you're looking for a role where you can own complex features, help scale a production configurator, and work on tools that power the clean energy transition — this is it.

• Contribute to and expand our Three.js-based solar configurator (CAD interface)

• Build and optimize 3D geometry tools and visual design workflows

• Take ownership of both new CAD/3D features and regular product-facing frontend tasks

• Collaborate with backend and computational teams on data flows, simulations, and rendering

• Translate solar physics concepts into usable design tools

• Help define best practices and architecture for frontend + 3D stack

• Drive key UX and interaction decisions with design team

• Ensure configurator is performant, stable, and intuitive across edge cases

• 3+ years of experience building interactive frontends or 3D web apps

• Strong knowledge of Three.js, React Three Fiber (R3F), WebGL, and modern JavaScript (ES6+)

• Solid intuition for UX and interface design in 3D space

• Strong math/geometry background (vectors, transforms, spatial reasoning)

• Experience with modern frontend tools (React, Vite, Git, etc.)

• Comfortable working in fast-paced, high-ownership environments
  

• While you’ll own major 3D features, you’re also comfortable working in tandem with another CAD engineer on shared systems and workflows

• You’re comfortable jumping between deeply technical CAD logic and more traditional product UI work.

• Fluent in English

• Background in engineering, physics, math, or computational science

• Experience with rooftop design tools, CAD interfaces, or solar-related software

• Familiarity with performance optimization for real-time rendering

• Experience with shaders or low-level WebGL

• Understanding of solar/energy data, simulations, or ML integration

• Build tools that directly accelerate clean energy adoption

• Own core parts of a 3D design engine used by real solar installers

• Work with a fast-moving, talented team across design, engineering, and ML

• Help shape a critical vertical in a scaling YC-backed startup

• Work from our London office (hybrid flexibility available)