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 reliability, uptime, and continuous improvement of automated manufacturing equipment for modular products.
- Define and implement OEE and equipment performance metrics to identify loss drivers and prioritize sustaining work.
- Write, modify, and troubleshoot Siemens PLC logic (TIA Portal, S7-1500) and maintain controls architecture across robotic cells, including resistance welding, laser welding, and other automated process equipment.
- Troubleshoot equipment-to-MES data flows and integrations, ensuring accurate production and quality data capture.
- Lead root-cause analysis of assembly, quality, and equipment failures, converting findings into durable fixes and standard work.
- Stabilize production across shifts, reducing variation and unplanned downtime.
- Feed field and production issues back to product design and process engineering, providing DFM/DFA input that reduces equipment failures and downtime.
- Mentor and guide multidisciplinary engineering teams, building a culture of technical excellence in equipment troubleshooting and pragmatic problem-solving.
What You'll Bring- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Controls, or related discipline, and 7+ years of relevant experience.
- Deep technical understanding of automated equipment for complex systems, with a track record of sustaining - not just installing - that equipment in live production.
- Hands-on PLC programming experience with Siemens platforms (S7-1500/S7-1200, TIA Portal), including writing and modifying logic from scratch, plus HMI/SCADA integration.
- Demonstrated expertise with Fanuc Robotics and other automation equipment.
- Familiarity with MES systems and equipment-to-MES data integration.
- Experience diagnosing and resolving equipment failures under production pressure, including developing assembly methods, tooling, fixtures, and work instructions to prevent recurrence.
- Ability to translate field issues into DFM/DFA feedback that improves manufacturability and reduces downstream downtime.
- Strong problem-solving skills addressing process, design, and human-factor-driven issues.
- Effective communicator across production, quality, controls, 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.
