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Sr Staff Engineer, R&D Equipment

Alameda, CA

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 who knows how to build new machines from the ground up. You thrive on enabling scientific teams to solve foundational problems. You deliver reliable, deterministic hardware that inspires confidence in its end-users. You collaborate seamlessly with multidisciplinary technical experts to iterate on hardware, solving problems on the fly. You’re thorough, don’t leave loose ends dangling, and know how to reduce project scope while still meeting project goals. You’ve seen enough different types of hardware in your career to be able to borrow the best technology from a range of different fields and integrate them into something totally new. When things don’t go as planned, you excel at digging into data, reducing problems to their underlying physical phenomena, and finding solutions everyone can trust. You take comprehensive ownership of your designs, striving to get your hands on the machines you design and taking a continued personal interest in their performance years after handoff. You’re relentless in eliminating sources of drift and uncertainty. You’re a skilled listener and communicator, which helps you interface with a wide range of technical and operational experts, from scientists to machinists.

Responsibilities and Duties  

  • Design and build new R&D hardware for Sila’s core anode technology (and the software and instrumentation that runs it). Starting from a blank sheet of paper, quickly deliver new-to-the-world reactors incorporating CVD, bulk materials handling, gas delivery, and pressure vessel systems. You’ll need to self-start and take the lead in carrying out designs from concept through deployment.
  • Ensure safety first in designs and contribute to process safety reviews
  • Close loops. Test your machines; work as both a designer and an end-user to find and eliminate sources of drift and uncertainty.
  • Work with contractors and external vendors to get things built. This will include fabricators, tradespeople, system integrators, and in-house engineers & technicians.
  • Organize, document, communicate. Create enduring records of your work. Distill design decisions and experimental outcomes into actionable communication tailored to your audience.
  • Bring the right level of operational discipline to an open-ended R&D setting. Plan projects accurately and execute according to plan. Creatively find opportunities to move faster and more efficiently.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements 

  • BS in mechanical engineering and at least 10 years of work experience (or fewer for candidates with an advanced degree).
  • Expertise in performing calculations, analysis and design in accordance with key pressure vessel, structural & piping regulatory codes. (ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII)
  • Frictionless proficiency in mechanical design of complex assemblies, CAD software (SolidWorks preferred), and assembling/maintaining machines. Ability to strike the right balance of flexibility vs. robustness in your designs. Proficiency in documenting designs and getting them fabricated by outside vendors.
  • Experience with system controls, PLCs, preferably Beckhoff Automation (TwinCat 2/3)
  • 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)
  • Process Safety experience - understanding and experience applying elements of Process Safety Management (PSM)
  • 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.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

  • Pass a respirator fit test and be able to wear respiratory protection on a periodic basis
  • Work onsite wearing personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and safety toe 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 10% of the time

 

The starting base pay for this role is between $172,00 and $218,000 at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity, and bonuses.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. #LI-Onsite 

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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