Controls Engineer, Sustaining

Form Energy; Weirton (WV); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Stock options

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Form Energy, an American energy storage leader, seeks a Sustaining Controls Engineer for its Weirton, WV facility. You will own lifecycle management of deployed control systems, diagnose complex issues, and lead PLC/HMI/MES improvements to maximize uptime and safety.

Relocation assistance is available and the role supports one of the country’s pivotal energy manufacturing efforts. Reporting to the Sustaining Automation Associate Manager, you will mentor technicians, drive root-cause analysis,

Qualifications

• 6+ years of hands-on experience in industrial control systems within manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary engineering escalation point for Sustaining Automation Technicians to resolve complex electrical, controls, and OT network issues.
• Independently design and implement PLC, HMI, and SCADA software changes to optimize equipment and reduce downtime.
• Troubleshoot MES data transactions within PLC programs ensuring accurate product tracking.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to Automation Technicians on the factory floor.
• Participate in on-call rotations for off-hour escalations from the factory automation team.
• Collaborate with equipment vendors and internal teams on retrofits and long-term technical debt.
• Ensure safety and environmental policies are followed in all plant automation activities.

Skills

PLC programming

Troubleshooting

MES integration

Automation mentorship

OT network

Electrical safety

Root-cause analysis

System integration

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical/Controls/Mechatronics Engineering

Tools

Siemens TIA-Portal

Rockwell Studio 5000

Beckhoff TwinCat

Ignition Perspective

Siemens WinCC

Rockwell FTView ME

Job description

Are you ready to build America’s energy future? Form Energy is an American manufacturing and energy technology company. We’re revolutionizing energy storage with cost-effective, multi-day technology designed to keep the electric grid secure and reliable, even during extended periods of stress. By strengthening the electric system and reimagining what’s possible, we’re giving clean energy a whole new form!

In recent years, Form Energy has earned a number of accolades, including being named by TIME as a "Best Invention", MIT Technology Review as a "Top Climate Tech Company To Watch", and Fast Company as "One of the Next Big Things In Tech". We are making rapid progress on our mission of delivering energy storage for a better world, and our team is growing just as rapidly to meet demand. We have signed contracts with leading electric utilities across the United States and production of our iron-air batteries is underway at our first high-volume manufacturing facility in West Virginia.

Working for Form Energy is more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something extraordinary. And now - right as we significantly scale up battery manufacturing - might be the most exciting moment in the company’s history to join. We are assembling a team of highly talented and driven individuals across the country. Driven by our core values of humanity, excellence, and creativity, our team is determined to deliver on our mission and transform the energy landscape for the better.

Feeling energized to make a meaningful impact on the world? Then keep reading - you’ve come to the right place.

Role Description

We are looking for an experienced Sustaining Controls Engineer to join the Operations Team. In this role, you will be the technical backbone of our manufacturing operations, responsible for the stability, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the novel equipment used to manufacture Form Energy’s Iron-Air battery.

Reporting to the Sustaining Controls Engineering Associate Manager, you will serve as the primary engineering escalation point for our Sustaining Automation Technicians. You will own the lifecycle of deployed systems, diagnosing complex controls and electrical issues, driving root-cause analysis, and independently executing PLC, HMI, and MES software improvements. You will work closely with both the Operations teams and the Manufacturing Control and Execution Systems teams to ensure maximum equipment uptime, throughput, and safety at Form Factory 1.

Relocation assistance is available.

What you’ll do:

• Production Escalation & Support: Serve as the primary engineering escalation point for Sustaining Automation Technicians to resolve complex electrical, controls, and OT network issues.

• Continuous Improvement: Independently identify, design, and execute PLC, HMI, and SCADA software changes to optimize existing equipment, improve throughput, and eliminate recurring downtime events.

• Systems Integration & Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot and optimize MES data transactions within PLC programs, ensuring accurate product tracking and data handshakes.

• Mentorship: Provide technical guidance, training, and mentorship to Automation Technicians on the factory floor.

• On-Call Rotation: Participate in rotating on-call responsibilities for off-hour escalations from the Automation Technicians at the factory.

• Vendor & Project Management: Work directly with equipment vendors and internal teams on equipment retrofits, upgrades, and resolving long-term technical debt.

• Safety & Compliance: Ensure all plant automated equipment functions safely and correctly, strictly following Safety and Environmental policies.

What you’ll bring:

• Experience: 6+ years of hands-on experience as an engineer working on industrial control systems in a manufacturing environment.

• Communication: Strong technical communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to translate complex engineering issues for operations teams.

• PLC Programming and Troubleshooting

  • Siemens TIA-Portal (Required, execute independently)

  • Rockwell Studio 5000 (Required, execute independently)

  • Beckhoff TwinCat (Nice to Have)

• SCADA/HMI Systems

  • Ignition Perspective (Required, with minimal supervision)

  • Siemens WinCC & Rockwell FTView ME (Required, with minimal supervision)

• Robotics & Vision (Troubleshooting Focus)

  • FANUC, Epson, Kawasaki (Nice to Have)

  • Keyence and Cognex Barcode Scanners & Inspection (Required, basic knowledge/troubleshooting)

• MES Integration

  • PLC Product Tracking & Handshake/Data Programming (Required, execute independently)

  • Ignition Integration for Data (Required, with minimal supervision)

• Electrical & Safety

  • Review/Redline/Read Electrical Schematics (Required, execute independently)

  • Siemens ProfiSafe, Rockwell CIP Safety, and Hardwired Safety Systems (Required, execute independently)

• OT Network & Data

  • Configure & Troubleshoot Managed Network Switches (Required, execute independently)

  • iba & Octoplant (Required, execute independently)

• Problem-solving: Exceptional attention to detail in root-cause analysis, testing, and documenting procedures.

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Electrical/Controls/Mechatronics Engineering or equivalent practical experience.

Where you’ll work:

This role is based at Form Factory 1 in Weirton, WV-an easy commute from the city of Pittsburgh, PA. This 550,000-square-foot facility is our hub for high-volume battery production and a leader in the new era of American energy manufacturing. Relocation assistance is available.

Humanity is a cornerstone of Form Energy’s culture, and we make sure our compensation and benefits reflect that. Form Energy offers competitive salaries, stock options, and a holistic benefits package to ensure all employees have what they need to thrive while working here.

When it comes to you and your family’s health, we cover 100% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees - and 80% of healthcare premiums for dependents. This starts from day one. We also offer at least 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents (up to 20 weeks for birthing parents), and generous vacation policies to give employees time to recharge when needed.

To build America’s energy future, we need everyone at the table. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply to our open jobs.

If you may require reasonable accommodations to participate in our interview process, please contact [e-mail]. Requests for accommodations will be treated with discretion.

Form Energy is committed to maintaining the privacy of our applicants. Please be aware that we will never solicit sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank account details during the recruiting or hiring process.