Back to jobs
New

Senior Manager, R&D Engineering

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 technical and strategic leader with a strong foundation of hands-on experience as an engineer. You’ve worked in open-ended R&D environments, built hardware (and the software that runs it) from the ground up, and learned firsthand what it means to own projects from concept through operational support. You know how to deliver reliable, deterministic tools that inspire confidence in their end-users. You have a diverse background and understanding of equipment and can articulate the ‘why’ of hardware from a foundational understanding of the process it is designed for as well as the ‘how’ through an understanding of mechanics, dynamics, controls and automation, I/O sensors, and cause & effect matrices and responses. You thrive on enabling science through your team: matching the right people with the right technical problems and training/hiring to fill skill gaps. You are a leader that builds trust through giving trust and challenging and growing the skills of the team and are a seasoned listener and communicator, which helps you collaborate seamlessly with a wide range of technical and operational experts: from engineers to technicians to contractors to other managers. 

You are capable of delivering multiple projects in parallel, experienced in all phases of design from early concept through validation and handoff. You develop a strong and highly-engaged team, soliciting input and debate from all levels in the organization, setting clear standards for work quality, and being a transparent decision-maker.

You’re passionate and knowledgeable about: clean energy, advanced materials, particulates, batteries, or related fields, sciences, and technologies.

Responsibilities and Duties  

  • Provide inspirational leadership for a team of mechanical design, equipment and controls engineers and R&D fabricators & technicians designing and building first-of-a-kind materials processing and battery testing equipment. Help solve science problems by channeling your team’s (and your own) technical creativity into robust, new-to-the-world hardware, software, and instrumentation. 
  • Artfully balance competing resources and cross-functional objectives in a fast-paced and matrixed environment. 
  • Attract, hire, onboard, and retain world-class engineers. Expand the team’s bandwidth, capabilities, and diversity. Coach and grow talent through consistent feedback, navigation of challenges, and celebration of wins. Create opportunities for staff career growth, identify top performers and develop their careers. 
  • Contribute technically to system designs, from concept through operational support. Sila employs a wide range of technical disciplines, including CVD, bulk materials handling, gas delivery, wet chemical reactors, vacuum systems, and a variety of mechanical assembly and test equipment for cell fabrication and test. As the company takes on new problems, you’ll help incorporate other new technical fields of practice into Sila’s repertoire.
  • Review and approve key design process work: mechanical design reviews, P&ID, HAZID/HAZOPS, design verification, factory/site acceptance test plans, and other test plans.
  • Work collaboratively with your team to support existing tools; support your team in deep troubleshooting and use issues as opportunities for continuous improvement.
  • Work closely with the R&D Operations and R&D Battery Operations teams to consistently improve performance metrics and identify the key levers to drive optimal process reliability, quality and uptime
  • Organize, document, communicate. Create enduring records of your team’s work. Distill design decisions and experimental outcomes into accessible communication tailored to your audience. Collaborate extensively with adjacent technical teams at Sila.
  • Bring the right level of operational discipline to an open-ended R&D setting. Help plan projects accurately and make sure they’re executed according to plan. Creatively find opportunities to move faster and more efficiently.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements 

  • Demonstrated excellence at building and leading technical teams. Experience managing team members to emphasize their strengths and support their professional development. Ability to fine-tune your own approach to suit different styles on your team. Proactiveness in anticipating and responding to staffing gaps.
  • Demonstrated collaborative problem solving: helping people share knowledge, resources, and strategies in order to solve ever-harder technical problems. Great communication skills, including the ability to surface problems constructively and get buy-in for proposed solutions.
  • Strong mechanical design fundamentals. Experience in design and fab of complex assemblies, CAD software, and component sourcing. Intuition for the right balance of flexibility vs. robustness in designs. 
  • Expertise with lab or industrial automation platforms. Programming experience (C, C#, Python, .NET, MATLAB, or IEC 61131 PLC automation preferred), basic familiarity with software engineering best practices, and experience with lab/industrial electronics.
  • Experience in R&D/laboratory settings with time pressure, open-ended technical problems, and substantial managerial autonomy. Ability to prioritize among a wide range of problems, both self-identified and as identified by others. A well-practiced ability to bring the right amount of structure to your team’s projects.
  • B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical/Controls Engineering, or a related discipline.
  • 15 years of work experience (post B.S.) and experience in a startup environment.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

  • Required
    • Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and composite toe safety shoes (
    • Move long distances (such as from building to building) and be stationary for extended periods of time
    • Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location
    Occassionally
    • Move items up to 50 lbs with the assistance of lift equipment and carts
    • Enter spaces narrower than 3 feet
    • Climb stairs or over containment walls (including portable stairs up to equipment or climb a ladder)
    • Reach low shelves or items on the floor
    Rarely
    • Pass a respirator fit test and be able to wear respiratory protection on a daily basis

The starting base pay for this role is between $211,000 and $276,640 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, and equity. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

#LI-ONSITE

#LI-CL1

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.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Sila? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Sila’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.