Why It's Open:
- Need for a dedicated Senior Control Panel Designer to support growing battery system deployments and increasing project volume.
- Role complements PCB-level design efforts by owning panel-level wiring, controls integration, and power distribution architecture.
- Highly visible position supporting the scaling of Form Energy's next-generation battery energy storage systems.
About the Role:
Form Energy is hiring a Senior Control Panel Designer to support development and validation of its next-generation battery technology. As part of the BMS Hardware & Electrical Systems team, this individual will own the full lifecycle of industrial control panel design, from component selection and schematic development through vendor coordination, high-voltage validation, and production release. The role focuses on panel-level electrical design, wiring architecture, power distribution, protection systems, controls integration, and support of the Auxiliary Management Unit (AMU), which interfaces directly with board-level electronics throughout Form Energy's battery systems.
Day-to-Day responsibilities:
- Design industrial control panels in compliance with UL 508A and NEC (NFPA 70) requirements.
- Develop complete panel schematics, layouts, wiring diagrams, and BOMs using EPLAN.
- Design power and control distribution systems supporting battery energy storage applications, including high-voltage architectures up to 600VAC and 2000VDC.
- Select and integrate connectors, wire harnesses, breakers, fuses, transformers, rectifiers, drives, and other panel-level electrical components.
- Perform wire sizing, branch circuit protection coordination, and electrical integration between control panels, PCBAs, sensors, and system-level hardware.
- Work directly with third-party panel fabrication vendors to translate design intent into manufacturable assemblies and support build, acceptance, and release activities.
- Execute and oversee high-voltage testing procedures including hipot, insulation resistance, and functional validation testing.
- Support DFMEA activities, panel-level failure mode analysis, and risk mitigation efforts.
- Collaborate closely with Mechanical Engineering on enclosure design, thermal management, and physical integration.
- Partner with Electrical Engineering, PCB Design, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, and Test teams to support deployment, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement efforts.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline with 5+ years of relevant experience, or Master's degree with 3+ years of relevant experience.
- Strong proficiency with EPLAN.
- Demonstrated experience designing industrial control panels.
- Experience working with safety standards, specifically- UL 508A (must-have) and NEC (NFPA 70) requirements.
- Strong understanding of electrical wiring, power distribution, branch circuit protection, wire sizing, and control systems integration.
- Experience selecting and integrating panel-level electrical components including breakers, fuses, transformers, rectifiers, drives, connectors, and harnesses.
- Experience supporting high-voltage applications, ideally including 600VAC and/or 2000VDC systems.
- Hands-on experience with high-voltage testing procedures, safety protocols, hipot testing, and insulation resistance testing.
- Experience managing third-party panel fabrication vendors through design, build, validation, and acceptance phases.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work independently in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), EV, renewable energy, utility, industrial automation, or power systems experience.
- Experience with DFMEA, functional safety, or reliability-focused design methodologies.
- Familiarity with Arena, Teamcenter, JIRA, JAMA, or similar PLM and product development tools.
- Understanding of hardware/software integration boundaries.
- Exposure to security-conscious industrial controls or critical infrastructure environments.