Lead Mechanical Engineer, Equipment Engineering
About The Position
Sila’s Equipment Engineering team in Alameda is seeking a highly motivated Mechanical Engineer to lead the design of manufacturing-scale reactors, bridging the gap between R&D concepts and capital project execution. This role focuses on the equipment development and design lifecycle for Sila’s best-in-class Silicon Carbon anode manufacturing technology. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills with practical industrial experience and a commitment to safety and functional design. You will work cross-functionally to prioritize manufacturability, operability, reliability, and maintainability of our next-generation equipment, enabling the standardized, scalable deployment of multiple reactor systems that meet business objectives. This role offers opportunities to lead impactful projects, solve technical problems, and focus on solutions that bridge the gap between R&D and mass production.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
- 10+ years of mechanical design experience in industrial equipment environments with a focus on large-scale manufacturing.
- Proficiency in mechanical design software (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360, AutoCAD) and development of P&IDs and fabrication packages.
- Strong technical expertise in reactor systems, thermal/fluid equipment, and fabrication methods.
- Analytical proficiency in FEA analysis, thermal modeling, and precision tolerancing for reactor equipment.
- Working knowledge of mechanical codes, industrial regulations, and Process Safety Management (PSM) environments.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with designing for high-temperature environments is highly desirable.
Responsibilities
- Lead design initiatives, prioritizing simplicity and challenging unnecessary requirements for efficient, streamlined engineering.
- Lead mechanical design and development tasks for manufacturing-scale reactors, bridging R&D concepts to capital project execution.
- Provide technical oversight and perform high-fidelity thermal, fluid, and structural modeling (FEA) to validate reactor performance and drive design decisions.
- Develop detailed engineering packages, including layouts, core IP drawings, equipment data sheets, and specifications.
- Drive safety and compliance by applying safety-by-design principles and actively supporting PSM programs (PHA, HAZOP, MOC) and Mechanical Integrity initiatives.
- Serve as a technical lead for cross-functional project teams and managing the end-to-end project lifecycle, including vendor/fabricator coordination, factory acceptance testing (FAT), and field installation verification.
- Maintain accurate, controlled, and compliant engineering documentation throughout the project lifecycle.
- Mentor and coach junior engineering staff, fostering technical growth and maintaining high standards for design documentation, engineering rigor, and safety best practices.
Benefits
- Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity, and bonuses.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
