Production Controls Engineer

American Battery; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leader in battery technology is seeking a Production Controls Engineer to operate and maintain control systems in their sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling facility. The ideal candidate will have a background in Electrical, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering and experience in industrial automation systems. Responsibilities include troubleshooting control systems, supporting equipment commissioning, and developing specifications. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative battery technologies in a growing industry.

Qualifications

• Licensed Professional Engineer: Control Systems.
• 2+ years of engineering/design experience focusing on industrial automation systems.
• Exposure to a variety of instrument manufacturers and technologies.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain control systems for chemical process systems.
• Troubleshoot complex control system issues and implement corrective actions.
• Support commissioning and optimization of new equipment.
• Develop, maintain, and troubleshoot PLC and SCADA systems.
• Prepare and maintain controls documentation.
• Participate in hazard analyses and safety reviews.

Education

Electrical/Mechanical/Chemical Engineering or equivalent industry experience

Tools

Autodesk CAD programs (Plant3D, Revit)

MSSQL

MySQL

PostgreSQL

Job description

American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) provides technical development and commercialization of domestic, sustainable sourcing of critical battery materials through lithium-ion battery recycling and battery metal extraction technologies for use in batteries that power electric cars, grid storage applications, and consumer electronics and tools. Our first of kind systems produce commercial-scale battery materials that are sold into the battery manufacturing supply chain.

As our Production Controls Engineer, you will operate and maintain best-in-class control systems for the chemical process systems of our proprietary lithium-ion battery recycling facility and primary resource extraction technologies. This candidate will collaborate with our engineering team and various internal and external experts to ensure the successful operation of our facilities’ control systems. The ideal candidate will be familiar with the research & development, design, installation, commissioning, and operations of first-of‑kind facilities. They should be passionate about operating and maintaining efficient automation systems for chemical manufacturing processes, ensuring quality control of outputs, specifying equipment, crafting and deploying monitoring protocols. The candidate will be a problem‑solver and have a keen interest in operating first‑in‑kind process systems. This should include a constant focus on evaluating current processing steps and proposing and developing next‑generation solutions to continuously improve system performance and operability. This position will report to our Production Engineering Manager.

• Troubleshoot complex control system issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions to prevent unplanned downtime and process upsets.

• Support commissioning, startup, and optimization of new equipment and future expansions for first‑of‑kind battery recycling and resource extraction processes.

• Develop, maintain, and troubleshoot PLC and SCADA systems using IEC‑61131 compliant programming standards.

• Develop, maintain, and troubleshoot plant instrumentation and control systems, including electronic, pneumatic, hydraulic, and microprocessor-based equipment.

• Interpret and work from engineering drawings, P&IDs, wiring diagrams, and manufacturer documentation.

• Prepare and maintain controls documentation, including instrument lists, valve lists, loop sheets, wiring diagrams, and control narratives.

• Contribute to process design, control strategies, and equipment selection during capital project development and conceptual design phases.

• Develop and maintain specifications for procurement of low‑voltage control equipment and instrumentation for chemical and mechanical process systems.

• Develop and manage instrumentation calibration programs to ensure measurement accuracy and regulatory compliance.

• Participate in hazard analyses, FMEAs, and safety reviews to support safe and reliable operation of process systems.

• Collaborate closely with engineering, operations, and external partners to continuously improve system performance and operability.

• Provide after‑hours on‑call support as part of a shared rotation to support production operations.

• Work a 4x10 schedule.

Qualifications

• Licensed Professional Engineer: Control Systems

• Experience with Autodesk CAD programs (Plant3D, Revit)

• Experience with database systems (MSSQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL)

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Background in Electrical/Mechanical/Chemical Engineering or equivalent industry experience in Instrumentation and Controls

• 2+ years of engineering/design experience focusing on industrial automation systems

• Exposure to a variety of instrument manufacturers and technologies