Principal Engineering Technician, Tech OperationsReliability & Test * Berkeley, CA * Full time [...]

Form Energy; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision premiums

12 weeks paid leave for new parents

Generous vacation policies

Job summary

Form Energy in Berkeley, California is seeking a Principal Engineering Technician to lead the Tech Operations team. This role involves leading the assembly of electrical systems, managing equipment commissioning, and training junior staff.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years of experience, mastering industrial electrical assembly, mechanical fabrication, and troubleshooting complex issues. Working at Form Energy means being part of a mission to revolutionize energy storage.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on experience in a startup environment, leading teams and processes.
• Mastery of industrial electrical assembly, including 480VAC/1000VDC+ systems.
• Familiarity with IPC-A-610/WHMA-A-620 and NFPA 70E training is a significant plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the assembly of control cabinets, ensuring precision wiring of PLCs and safety interlocks.
• Manage the commissioning of new equipment, including verifying basic functionality and safety compliance.
• Train junior technicians and engineers in assembly techniques and schematic reading.

Skills

Industrial electrical assembly

Mechanical fabrication

Troubleshooting electrical/mechanical issues

Tools

PLC integration

Machine shop equipment

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

Form Energy is hiring a Principal Engineering Technician to serve as the operational lead Tech Operations team. This role is designed for a veteran technician who can drive quality, process and execution excellence into a team of technicians supporting the prototyping and build efforts for our Product Engineering organization.

What you'll do

• Lead the assembly of control cabinets (UL 508A), ensuring precision wiring of PLCs, safety interlocks, and communication gateways.
• Execute and oversee the fabrication of high-power DC busbars and AC interconnects, maintaining strict standards for torque, insulation, and clearance.
• Architect and build complex, high-reliability harnesses for test assets and prototype product builds; perform precision PCBA rework and micro-soldering for prototype hardware.
• Define and enforce lab-wide standards for wire routing, labeling, and crimping quality, ensuring all prototypes are "field-ready" in their build quality.
• Install and calibrate sensors (thermocouples, strain gauges, pressure transducers) across test assets to ensure high-fidelity data collection.
• Manage the commissioning of new equipment, including verifying basic functionality, safety compliance, and initial system bring-up.
• Jump into the shop to modify enclosures, fabricate custom mounting brackets, or create specialized test fixtures using manual mills, lathes, and welding equipment.
• Train junior technicians and engineers in the "art of the build," from proper crimping techniques to reading complex P&IDs and schematics.

What you'll bring

• 8+ years of hands-on experience in a startup environment, leading teams and processes.
• Mastery of industrial electrical assembly, including 480VAC/1000VDC+ systems, PLC integration, and signal-level communication (CAN, Modbus).
• Highly proficient in mechanical fabrication, including metalwork, thermal system plumbing, and the use of machine shop equipment.
• Familiarity with IPC-A-610/WHMA-A-620; NFPA 70E training is a significant plus.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex electrical/mechanical integration issues on the fly without losing momentum.

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.