Automation and Controls Engineer

Number of employees

360

Alameda, CA, United States

Posted on: 2022-11-18

Category: energy

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Expired

Employment type:

Full time

Experience required:

Intermediate

Salary

Salary not provided

About the company:

We are Sila—a next generation battery materials company dedicated to accelerating energy transformation for a more sustainable future. 

Our next-gen anode material is the first significant chemistry improvement to lithium-ion batteries to reach the market in 30 years. Our silicon anode material is a simple drop-in replacement to graphite and significantly boosts the energy density of lithium-ion batteries without compromising performance. 

Today, Sila science powers innovative consumer electronics. Tomorrow, it will fuel our EV future and the electrification of everything. 

We work directly with leading consumer electronics and automotive OEMs to help accelerate product roadmaps, and partners with battery manufacturers commercial cell production. Our partners include BMW, Daimler, and ATL.

Sila Nano works directly with leading consumer electronics and automotive OEMs to help accelerate product roadmaps, and partners with battery manufacturers commercial cell production. 

Sila Nano’s first products significantly increase the energy density of state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. Our materials are manufacturable economically at scale and are drop-in replacements to existing battery manufacturing processes.

About Us

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world?

Who You Are 

You’re a hands-on engineer energized by ownership of your design decisions. You understand how every mechanical part you design, every fitting you specify, and every line of code you write is a commitment. You’re thorough and don’t leave loose ends dangling. You’re excited when the things you build outlast you. You excel at translating loosely-defined scientific requests into rigorous, deterministic machines that help unlock technical truth. You bring pragmatism and a daily sense of urgency to your work. When you see hardware in the wild, you always wonder, “could I build this better?” When things don’t go as planned, you excel at reducing problems to their underlying physical phenomena and finding solutions everyone can trust. You’re a skilled listener and communicator, which helps you interface with a wide range of people, from chemists to pipe fitters. You’re relentless in eliminating sources of drift and uncertainty.

Responsibilities & Duties 

  • Design and build new R&D hardware (and the software and instrumentation that runs it). Starting from a blank sheet of paper, deliver new-to-the-world reactors comprising wet chemistry, thermal processes, instrumentation, and tightly-integrated process automation. You’ll have abundant support, but you’ll need to take the lead in carrying out a design from concept through deployment.
  • Work with contractors and external vendors to get things built. This will include fabricators, tradespeople, system integrators, and in-house engineers & technicians.
  • Close loops. In daily collaboration with the end-users of the machines you build, iterate and refine your designs in fast learning cycles.
  • Diagnose problems when they arise and fix them responsively. This will include data analysis and in-person discussions with people who identify problems.
  • Organize, document, communicate. Create enduring records of your work. Ensure successful handoff to end-users of your work with clearly-documented commissioning procedures and tests.
  • Bring the right level of operational discipline to an open-ended R&D setting. Plan projects accurately and execute according to plan. Design hardware for manufacturability and operability. 

Knowledge & Skill Requirements 

  • BS in engineering and at least 5 years of work experience (or fewer for candidates with an advanced degree). 
  • Frictionless proficiency in mechanical design, CAD software (SolidWorks preferred), and making machines that balance flexibility and robustness. Proficiency in documenting designs and getting them fabricated by outside vendors.
  • Programming experience (C, Python, .NET, or IEC 61131 PLC automation preferred).
  • Knowledge of AC and DC power fundamentals, sensor/signal troubleshooting, and field wiring best practices.
  • Experience with complex, multidisciplinary technical systems (for instance: interconnected electronic, mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems)
  • Great communication skills, including the ability to surface problems constructively.
  • Experience in R&D settings with time pressure, open-ended technical problems, and substantial individual autonomy are nice to have

Physical Demands & Working Conditions 

  • Pass a respirator fit test and be able to wear respiratory protection on a periodic basis
  • Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes
  • Move items up to 50 lbs with the assistance of lift equipment and carts
  • Move long distances (such as from building to building)
  • Can travel both domestically and internationally up to 25% of the time

Working at Sila

We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.

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