Principal Engineering Technician I, Development

Sila•Alameda, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Sila is hiring a hands-on Operations Technician to support its R&D teams in developing and operating pilot-scale tool sets. The role helps accelerate technology development and operationalization by balancing development flexibility with the rigor required in production environments. It serves as a bridge between R&D, Operations, and Maintenance on Sila’s manufacturing and pilot floor, with an emphasis on safety, procedural detail, and continuous improvement. The technician operates development reactors, manages samples and run-quality data, maintains inventory and operating records, partners with Maintenance and Development on tool maintenance, and helps build operational excellence through SOP development, operator training, and 5S organization. The position is based on the pilot plant floor and follows a Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. schedule. The starting base pay is $44–$55 per hour; the role may also be eligible for overtime.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or an associate or technical degree in an engineering or technical discipline, or equivalent military training.
At least 5 years of experience as an operations technician, lab technician, chemical process operator, or pilot plant technician in a hardware, semiconductor, battery, chemical, or advanced manufacturing environment.
Comfort using basic hand tools, torque wrenches, and impact drivers.
Ability to train peers in proper tool use and operating procedures.
Experience working safely with hazardous materials, pyrophoric or flammable specialty gases, or fine powders while following OSHA and site E&HS guidelines.
Demonstrated ability to follow, execute, and improve rigorous SOPs and standard work instructions without unauthorized shortcuts.
Proficiency with digital data-entry and inventory systems and basic digital collaboration tools such as Google Workspace or MS Office.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including comfort presenting operational status updates to engineering teams.
Ability to teach and cross-train team members.
An optimization mindset and willingness to collect and give feedback to drive system improvements.
Ability to wear personal protective equipment, including a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel-toe safety shoes.
Ability to stand and walk on the pilot plant floor for extended periods, wear full respiratory and protective gear when required, and safely lift or move loads up to 40–50 pounds.
Ability to reach low shelves or items on the floor and precisely and repetitively handle varying quantities of materials.
Ability to operate a computer and office equipment such as a laptop and copier/printer in a fixed location.

Responsibilities

Manage and execute test runs on pilot-scale reactors, including preparing inputs, loading and unloading reactors, starting and monitoring runs, and troubleshooting faults.
Track and collect pre- and post-run samples, package and store intermediate products, and route samples for analytics.
Manage run-quality data and enter and label test-run information.
Accurately label input and output materials and manage inventory of raw materials, consumables, spares, personal protective equipment, and related items.
Partner with Maintenance and Development teams to develop SOPs and schedule preventative maintenance for development reactors and supporting systems, including powder hoods, dust-handling systems, and abatement systems.
Author and refine SOPs for development reactors and associated subsystems.
Train and check off operators on operating procedures and proper tool use.
Drive 5S organization in development areas.