Job DescriptionWe're hiring a Lead (Staff) Process Engineer within our growing Operations Engineering team. In this role, you will serve as the manufacturing process owner for automated production lines that ramp our iron-air battery to scale, driving process yield, quality, and throughput while partnering closely with controls and equipment teams on the supporting automation. You will own the processes and improvements of complex robotic cells and automated hardware, directing technical decisions that eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks and ensure long-term equipment reliability. By continuously improving standards for process control and precision automation, you will ensure our production environment delivers a high volume of top-quality products. Your leadership will be the cornerstone in transforming advanced battery technology into a world-class, automated manufacturing reality that enables global energy reliability.
What You'll Do:- Own the transition of automated production lines of modular products from ramp to sustained, high-volume output
- Drive measurable gains in process yield, quality, and throughput across complex robotic cells and automated hardware.
- Define and implement OEE and equipment performance metrics to identify loss drivers and prioritize improvement work across the production line.
- Collaborate with product design and process development engineering to provide feedback, ensuring optimization for fully-automated, high-speed manufacturing.
- Integrate new automation solutions (torque tools, lift devices, vision checks, interlocks, and other instrumentation) that raise the reliability and precision of production lines.
- Lead root-cause analysis of assembly and quality issues, turning findings into durable process improvements that ensure safe and repeatable production.
- Stabilize new production ramps, reducing variation across shifts and accelerating the path to steady-state output.
- Mentor multidisciplinary engineering teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence in process ownership and pragmatic problem-solving.
What You'll Bring:- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline and 7+ years of relevant experience.
- Deep technical understanding of semi-manual and automated assembly processes for complex systems.
- Working knowledge of robotics and PLC-based automation (e.g., Fanuc, Siemens, or similar) sufficient to collaborate effectively with controls engineering and direct integration work.
- Experience developing assembly methods, tooling, fixtures, and work instructions in an automated production environment.
- Fluency in DFM/DFA principles and a track record of translating them into actionable feedback for product design and process development teams.
- Analytical rigor in defining and applying OEE and equipment performance metrics to guide improvement priorities.
- Strong problem-solving skills spanning process, design, and human-factor-driven issues.
- Effective communicator across production, quality, and design teams.
Where you'll work:This role is based at Form Factory 1 in Weirton, WV-an easy commute from the city of Pittsburgh, PA. This 550,000-square-foot facility is our hub for high-volume battery production and a leader in the new era of American energy manufacturing. Relocation assistance is available.
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Humanity is a cornerstone of Form Energy's culture, and we make sure our compensation and benefits reflect that. Form Energy offers competitive salaries, stock options, and a holistic benefits package to ensure all employees have what they need to thrive while working here.
When it comes to you and your family's health, we cover 100% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees - and 80% of healthcare premiums for dependents. This starts from day one. We also offer at least 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents (up to 20 weeks for birthing parents), and generous vacation policies to give employees time to recharge when needed.
