Freelance Prototype Build Engineer Jobs in Texas

Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.

As our Deployment Engineer (Product Launch), you sit at the intersection of new hardware and the field. You take our newest products from prototype and pilot into full-scale deployment: tracking every issue that shows up in the field, feeding it back to engineering, and making the call on when a fix is ready to ship.

This isn't a typical support or program-management role. You'll be the link between engineers, field crews, and deployment operations, turning what we learn in the field into product decisions. You'll build real expertise in how our hardware gets designed, built, tested, and deployed at scale, and you'll have direct influence over what ships next. It's a fit for someone equally comfortable diagnosing a battery issue in the field, writing up a defect that engineers will trust and act on, and reporting out on what this means for achieving program goals.

What You'll Do

• Track new hardware products through each phase of introduction (pilot and public rollout) and flag what's blocking at each gate.

• Serve as the field's voice into hardware decisions: log defects, spot trends across installs and service calls, and push high-impact issues to the right engineering owner.

• Partner with hardware, firmware, and software engineering teams to validate fixes before they roll out fleet-wide.

• Own the prototype build and defect tracking process, keeping build records and test tickets linked and current.

• Support field crews directly during installs and service calls involving new or in-pilot hardware, troubleshooting over phone, text, and Slack.

• Write and maintain rollout playbooks and hardware defect logs so lessons from one pilot don't get relearned on the next.

• Report on hardware readiness and known issues to engineering and leadership ahead of each rollout phase.

What You'll Bring

• 2+ years in a hardware-adjacent technical role: Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, New Product Introduction (NPI), Hardware Product or Program Management

• Comfort reading electrical and mechanical systems: you can look at a battery stack, inverter, or wiring diagram and reason about what's wrong.

• Experience tracking a product from prototype through production - you know what a phase gate is and why it matters.

• Strong documentation habits: defect logs, build records, and playbooks other people can actually use.

• A track record of writing up hardware and software issues that engineers trust and act on.

• A 4-year degree, or equivalent hands-on hardware or field experience.

• Familiarity with tools like Grafana, Jira, or Retool (or the kind of person who picks them up fast).

• Comfortable with ambiguity: pilots move fast, and priorities shift as new issues surface.

• Team player who puts the mission first and communicates clearly under pressure.

About the Team

Deployment Engineering is Base Power’s mission control for field operations, acting as the real-time support system for our installation crews. This team sits at the intersection of field electricians, engineering, and member experience, ensuring every install and service call runs smoothly, safely, and efficiently.

Beyond live troubleshooting, the team plays a key role in identifying trends, improving deployment playbooks, and influencing product and operational decisions. Their work directly impacts installation speed, system uptime, and the overall member experience—making them a critical driver of our growth.

This is a team built for people who enjoy fast-paced problem solving, cross-functional collaboration, and developing a full-stack understanding of hardware, software, and field operations.

Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive.

• First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules.

• Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing.

• Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset.

• Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results.

• Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information.

• Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in.

• Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things.