Engineering Lead - Process Equipment

American Advanced Materials; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Vision coverage

Dental coverage

401(k)

Equity compensation

Flexible PTO

Job summary

American Advanced Materials is seeking a hands-on engineering leader to own design, fabrication, and integration of equipment across our titanium and zirconium facilities. This role will drive buy-vs-build decisions, develop custom hardware (Kroll reactors, vacuum distillation units, chlorinators), and ensure manufacturability, scalability, and performance.

You will bridge process engineering with manufacturing, lead rapid prototyping, and oversee vendor evaluations and project deployment from

Qualifications

• Proven success in solving engineering challenges that require complex build vs. buy decisions for which there is no existing commodity hardware
• Proven success in designing, building, and testing fluid‑handling systems with challenging temperatures and pressures
• Proven success in leading engineering teams, ideally in equipment/hardware manufacture
• Expertise in materials selection and evaluation, ideally with field experience with high‑performance and low‑corrosion alloys
• Familiarity with advanced manufacturing techniques, CNC machining, and welding of exotic alloys
• Extensive experience with DFM, rapid prototyping, and working with suppliers to fabricate custom components
• Experience in pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy or chemical/oil & gas systems is a plus
• Experience with very large‑scale components (think 30ft tall distillation columns or large cryogenic tanks) is a plus
• Experience with reactive metals is a plus

Responsibilities

• Make buy vs. build decisions with process & facilities engineering
• Lead the design and development of all custom process hardware
• Evaluate equipment and process technologies with vendors and integrate into plant design
• Conduct DFM reviews and iterates to reduce lead times and costs
• Oversee fabrication and assembly of hardware to meet specs and timelines
• Lead prototyping and testing to optimize performance and reliability
• Develop and execute test plans for hardware validation
• Ensure seamless integration of hardware into plant layout and process flow
• Oversee installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting during pilot and production phases
• Design modular, scalable hardware for rapid replication as the facility expands
• Identify opportunities to improve hardware performance and reduce costs

Skills

Decision making

Leadership

DFM

Materials selection

Vendor evaluation

Tools

Kroll reactors

Vacuum distillation

CNC machining

Welding exotic alloys

Job description

We're looking for a hands-on, highly skilled engineering leader to take ownership of design, fabrication, and integration of custom and purchased equipment/hardware required across our titanium and zirconium materials production facilities. This is a critical technical leadership role where you'll bridge process engineering with real‑world manufacturing. You will be the primary decision maker for build vs. buy decisions on plant equipment. You will be responsible for ensuring that all custom equipment, such as Kroll reactors, chlorinators, and vacuum distillation units, are manufacturable, scalable, and optimized for performance. You'll work at the intersection of cutting‑edge materials science and advanced manufacturing, driving the rapid prototyping and deployment of hardware that will power a first‑of‑its‑kind facility.

Responsibilities

• Work with process & facilities engineering to make buy vs. build decisions

• Lead the design and development of all custom process hardware, including Kroll reactors and vacuum distillation units

• Work with technology vendors to evaluate equipment and process technologies, then integrate selected systems into our plant design and operating plan

• Conduct design‑for‑manufacturing (DFM) reviews and iterate designs to reduce lead times and costs

• Oversee the fabrication and assembly of hardware, ensuring adherence to specifications and timelines

• Lead the prototyping and testing of hardware components, iterating quickly to optimize performance and reliability

• Develop and execute test plans for hardware validation, including thermal, mechanical, and chemical stress testing

• Work closely with the process & facilities engineering to ensure seamless integration of hardware into the plant layout and process flow

• Oversee installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting of hardware systems during pilot and production phases

• Design hardware systems that are modular and scalable, enabling rapid replication and deployment as the facility expands

• Identify opportunities to improve hardware performance, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency

Qualifications

• Proven success in solving engineering challenges that require complex build vs. buy decisions for which there is no existing commodity hardware

• Proven success in designing, building, and testing fluid‑handling systems with challenging temperatures and pressures

• Proven success in leading engineering teams, ideally in equipment/hardware manufacture

• Expertise in materials selection and evaluation, ideally with field experience with high‑performance and low‑corrosion alloys

• Familiarity with advanced manufacturing techniques, CNC machining, and welding of exotic alloys

• Extensive experience with DFM, rapid prototyping, and working with suppliers to fabricate custom components

• Experience in pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy or chemical/oil & gas systems is a plus

• Experience with very large‑scale components (think 30ft tall distillation columns or large cryogenic tanks) is a plus

• Experience with reactive metals is a plus

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: $180K – $270K

Significant equity compensation aligned with public benchmarks for senior early team members

Your actual compensation will be determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: location, job‑related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

We offer comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, company 401(k) and other benefits. We have a flexible paid time‑off (PTO) policy