Staff Engineer, Process Controls

Sila•Alameda, CA

6d•$151,000 - $191,000

About The Position

Sila is a next-generation battery materials company working to advance clean energy through battery materials that increase energy density while reducing battery size and weight. The Staff Engineer, Process Controls develops complex materials-processing equipment and executes industrial process controls and instrumentation designs for production-scale synthesis equipment. The role uses technical expertise and collaboration to deliver safe, reliable, modular, and well-documented systems, while supporting teammates and working with internal teams and outside vendors. The position covers the process-control system design lifecycle, including implementing control strategies, maintaining design documentation, participating in hazard and safety reviews, selecting instrumentation, and helping bring hardware and code online. The role also gathers end-user feedback and works with the team to implement improvements. The starting base pay range is $151,000–$191,000. Actual base pay depends on factors including education, experience, and skills. Base pay is one part of Sila’s total rewards package, which may include benefits, perks, and equity.

Requirements

At least 5 years of industry experience.
Proficiency in control system design principles, including PID control, cascade control, and advanced control techniques.
Strong knowledge of instrumentation principles and devices, such as flow meters, level transmitters, and temperature sensors.
Knowledge of industrial communication protocols, such as Profinet and Modbus.
Experience with the full design lifecycle of process control systems, including creating Cause & Effect diagrams, Safety Requirements Specifications (SRS), and Alarm Rationalization.
Hands-on experience with PLCs and writing Structured Text.
Experience designing and programming intuitive, user-friendly HMIs for real-time monitoring and control.
Experience ensuring regulatory compliance with process controls standards, such as NFPA, UL508A, and IEC 61151.
Ability to wear required personal protective equipment and perform the physical activities described in the posting.
Ability to travel up to 20%.

Nice To Haves

B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering.
Familiarity with other IEC 61131-3 languages.

Responsibilities

Execute process controls and instrumentation designs for production-scale synthesis equipment in collaboration with other teams.
Design robust, modular, and well-documented controls.
Implement control system strategies and ensure designs are incorporated into Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) according to established standards.
Create and maintain instrument indexes, I/O lists, alarm lists, cause and effect matrices, and SIL/IPL verification forms.
Participate in HAZOP reviews, source and select instrumentation, and contribute to project templates.
Work with outside vendors on process controls designs and electrical/instrumentation subsystems.
Participate in safety reviews and own the closure of controls recommendations.
Assist in bringing hardware and code online.
Gather feedback from end-users and collaborate on actionable modifications, sharing best practices with the team.