Staff Engineer, Manufacturing

Sila•Alameda, CA

6d•$151,000 - $191,000•Onsite

About The Position

Sila is a next-generation battery materials company working to advance clean energy through engineered and manufactured battery materials. The Staff Engineer, Manufacturing will apply deep technical expertise in equipment, processes, and manufacturing to solve interdisciplinary problems on Sila’s pilot manufacturing line. The role leads projects to improve throughput, performance, reliability, and safety, and helps lead pilot-line operations alongside process engineers, equipment engineers, technicians, and scientists. The engineer will architect, design, and commission first-of-a-kind manufacturing systems, translating process chemistry and pilot processes into commercial-ready manufacturing technologies. The role also collaborates with scientists, process engineers, and external equipment integrators to develop scalable equipment roadmaps, reduce risk in unit operations, and establish manufacturing platforms for commercializing battery materials. The position requires hands-on support of pilot manufacturing operations, development and scaling of manufacturing processes and equipment, and technical leadership of contract manufacturing transfers. Candidates should have substantial manufacturing experience, strong equipment design capabilities, and experience managing custom equipment vendors through commissioning.

Requirements

At least 7 years of work experience in a manufacturing environment, or fewer years for candidates with an advanced degree.
Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering (preferred) or a similar engineering field.
Strong equipment design principles and advanced proficiency in 3D CAD modeling, drawing standards (GD&T), tolerance stack-up analysis, and sizing mechanical components such as actuators, pumps, gearboxes, and vacuum or pressure vessels.
Technical understanding of complex production equipment and processes.
Ability to independently troubleshoot, solve problems, analyze data, and manage statistical process control (SPC) charts.
Experience using statistical software to analyze experimental data, identify trends, and make data-backed decisions.
Track record of managing turnkey equipment builders and custom automation vendors from initial scope through factory acceptance testing (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT), and commissioning.
Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, work autonomously with minimal guidance, handle ambiguity, and proactively create workflows and manufacturing process structure.
Ability to pass a respirator fit test and wear respiratory protection periodically.
Ability to wear personal protective equipment, including a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel-toe safety shoes.
Ability to move items up to 50 pounds with the assistance of lift equipment and carts, and to walk long distances, such as between buildings.

Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day technical support for manufacturing equipment and processes on the pilot manufacturing line, analyzing and addressing operational challenges.
Improve and sustain the pilot manufacturing line through projects that increase process throughput, equipment reliability, performance, and safety.
Scale core synthesis, coating, thermal, and material handling processes from bench or laboratory scale to pilot and high-volume manufacturing lines.
Develop equipment concepts, 3D CAD models, detailed drawings using GD&T, sizing calculations, and functional specifications for custom automated equipment.
Lead contract manufacturing transfers, mapping critical-to-quality process parameters to vendor equipment specifications, tooling capabilities, and automation architectures.