As the Manager, Materials Characterization, you will play a critical role in leading our internal analytical testing and method development function. Reporting directly into the Reliability Engineering organization, our team drives analytical excellence, failure analysis, and factory method transfers. You will lead a world-class laboratory team in deep partnership with Core Technology, Quality, Design, and Manufacturing teams to accelerate the validation of our breakthrough iron-air battery technology, ensuring global grid reliability and stability.
Relocation assistance is available.
What you'll do:- Provide strategic direction and empathetic people leadership to a diverse team from entry-level technicians to senior scientists, establishing clear performance expectations, shielding them from reactive triage, and cultivating a rigorous, high-throughput culture.
- Oversee day-to-day lab workflows, sample lifecycle management, and instrument scheduling to achieve predictable turnaround times, optimize throughput, and maintain exceptional data quality.
- Champion the creation of novel characterization methods for liquid and solid chemicals and materials, ensuring all methodologies are evaluated for precision-to-tolerance ratios before scaling or transferring to high-volume manufacturing lines.
- Continuously evaluate evolving product development timelines to re-prioritize characterization requests, engaging proactively with design and process teams to fill analytical gaps and extract actionable insights for product performance and durability.
- Manage the internal laboratory budget, balance routine operational expenditures, forecast resource needs, maintain strong relationships with external vendors, and execute clear ROI analyses on bringing new characterization instruments internal to Form.
What you'll bring:- 8+ years of experience in using and managing advanced material characterization instrumentation (i.e. SEM, FTIR, ICP, XRD)
- 3+ years experience in directly leading diversely skilled analytical chemistry, materials science or failure analysis laboratory teams
- Proven track record of deploying or managing a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) or equivalent sample/workflow tracking system to optimize laboratory KPIs.
- Demonstrated knowledge of industrial metrology concepts, gauge R&R studies, and verifying tool precision against engineering specs for high-volume manufacturing transfers.
- Excellent communication and organizational skills
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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.
