Senior Pilot Reactor Technician – Development

Frontdoor Defense; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 61,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Sila's Alameda site seeks an Operations Technician to support the development and operation of pilot-scale tool sets. You will bridge R&D, Operations and Maintenance on the manufacturing floor; running test runs, collecting data, and ensuring safety and procedural discipline.

The role emphasizes hands-on setup, tooling, SOP refinement, and training of operators, with a focus on rapid development and manufacturing readiness in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, or AS/technical degree in an engineering or technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience as an operations or pilot plant technician in relevant environments.
• Proficiency with basic hand tools, torque wrenches, and impact drivers.
• Experience working safely with hazardous materials and compliant with OSHA guidelines.
• Proven track record of following and improving SOPs and standard work.
• Strong writing and verbal communication; ability to train peers.

Responsibilities

• Development Reactor Operation - Manage & execute test runs on pilot scale reactors by prepping inputs, loading/unloading reactors, starting & monitoring test runs, and troubleshooting run faults.
• Sampling, Harvesting & Analytics Routing - Manage run quality data, track and collect samples, package/store products, route samples for analytics.
• Administration & Inventory Control - Coordinate operation of development reactors with data entry/labeling of test runs, labeling of inputs/outputs, manage inventory.
• Tool Maintenance - Collaborate to develop SOPs and schedule preventative maintenance for development reactors and supporting systems.
• Operational Excellence & Training - Write/refine SOPs, train operators, and drive 5S in development areas.

Skills

SOP development and training

5S housekeeping

Safety and OSHA compliance

Tool operation and hand tools

Documentation and data entry

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

High school diploma / GED / AS-technical degree in engineering or technical discipline

Tools

Google Workspace

MS Office

Job description

Sila's Alameda site seeks an Operations Technician to support the development and operation of pilot-scale tool sets. You will bridge R&D, Operations and Maintenance on the manufacturing floor; running test runs, collecting data, and ensuring safety and procedural discipline.

The role emphasizes hands-on setup, tooling, SOP refinement, and training of operators, with a focus on rapid development and manufacturing readiness in a fast-paced environment.