Electrical and Controls Engineer

PHNX Materials•San Leandro, CA

6h•$120,000 - $150,000•Onsite

About The Position

PHNX Materials is seeking an Electrical and Controls Engineer to design and deploy the electrical and automation systems necessary for scaling their technology from bench to pilot to demonstration scale and beyond. This role is crucial for the company's scale-up phase, requiring cross-functional collaboration with R&D, process engineering, operations, and external engineering partners. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in wiring equipment, and designing, programming, and commissioning controls for industrial systems, with a solid understanding of electrical power systems, instrumentation, and process safety. The engineer will be responsible for control system development, designing and validating safety interlocks, and determining power requirements for pilot equipment. This position offers a unique opportunity to build systems that enable novel chemical processes to operate safely, reliably, and at increasing scales.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in electrical engineering, controls engineering, or industrial automation, ideally in chemical processing or a similarly demanding industrial environment.
Hands-on electrical wiring experience required, including cable splicing and termination, outlet installation, and equipment connections; experience with both low- and high-voltage systems preferred.
Hands-on experience designing, programming, commissioning, and troubleshooting PLC- and HMI-based control systems.
A strong foundation in industrial electrical systems, including three-phase power, load calculations, power distribution, motor controls, and electrical protection.
Experience developing safety interlocks and shutdown systems, with an understanding of functional safety principles and the distinction between process controls and safety functions.
Proficiency in specifying process instrumentation and implementing control loops for temperature, pressure, flow, level, and other critical operating parameters.
Strong ability to read, interpret, and draft electrical schematics, with experience developing panel layouts, P&IDs, control narratives, and I/O lists.
Bachelor's / Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related discipline.
A commitment to safety, environmental responsibility, and engineering rigor.

Nice To Haves

Ideally, experience bringing pilot plants or manufacturing facilities from design through startup and operation.
Comfortable working directly with equipment and collaborating across R&D, engineering, operations, and external partners in a rapidly evolving startup environment.

Responsibilities

Design and implement control systems as we scale from bench to pilot to demonstration and beyond, including PLC programming, HMI development, instrumentation, and data acquisition.
Develop and validate safety interlocks, emergency stops, and safe shutdown sequences in collaboration with process engineering and operations.
Scope electrical power requirements and specify power distribution, control panels, motor controls, and related equipment for pilot and larger-scale systems.
Translate R&D and process engineering requirements into control narratives, electrical drawings, and equipment specifications, coordinating implementation with vendors and engineering partners.
Perform hands-on wiring and equipment connections and lead commissioning and troubleshooting of electrical and controls systems, including instrument calibration, loop checks, and verification of safety functions.