Staff Equipment Engineer, Automation

Form Energy; Weirton (WV); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Form Energy is hiring a Staff Equipment Engineer to own reliability and continuous improvement of automated equipment supporting iron-air battery production at our WV facility. You’ll lead Siemens PLC logic, automation hardware, and MES data integrations across robotic cells to keep lines running with high uptime.

You will mentor cross-functional teams and drive DFM/DFA feedback to minimize downtime while scaling manufacturing for a cleaner energy future.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field with 7+ years of relevant experience.
• Deep technical understanding of automated equipment for complex systems, with a track record of sustaining equipment in live production.
• Hands-on PLC programming experience with Siemens platforms (S7-1500/S7-1200, TIA Portal), including writing and modifying logic, plus HMI/SCADA integration.
• Demonstrated expertise with Fanuc Robotics and other automation equipment.
• Familiarity with MES systems and equipment-to-MES data integration.
• Experience diagnosing and resolving equipment failures under production pressure, including developing assembly methods, tooling, fixtures, and work instructions to prevent recurrence.
• Ability to translate field issues into DFM/DFA feedback that improves manufacturability and reduces downtime.
• Strong problem-solving skills addressing process, design, and human-factor-driven issues.
• Effective communicator across production, quality, controls, and design teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the reliability, uptime, and continuous improvement of automated manufacturing equipment for modular products.
• Define and implement OEE and equipment performance metrics to identify loss drivers and prioritize sustaining work.
• Write, modify, and troubleshoot Siemens PLC logic (TIA Portal, S7-1500) and maintain controls architecture across robotic cells, including resistance welding, laser welding, and other automated process equipment.
• Troubleshoot equipment-to-MES data flows and integrations, ensuring accurate production and quality data capture.
• Lead root-cause analysis of assembly, quality, and equipment failures, converting findings into durable fixes and standard work.
• Stabilize production across shifts, reducing variation and unplanned downtime.
• Feed field and production issues back to product design and process engineering, providing DFM/DFA input that reduces equipment failures and downtime.
• Mentor and guide multidisciplinary engineering teams, building a culture of technical excellence in equipment troubleshooting and pragmatic problem-solving.

Skills

PLC Programming

Siemens S7

TIA Portal

HMI/SCADA

Fanuc Robotics

MES

Root Cause Analysis

Manufacturing Troubleshooting

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Robotics/Controls or related discipline

Tools

Fanuc Robotics

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.

Job Description

We're hiring a Staff Equipment Engineer within our growing Operations Engineering team to own the reliability and continuous improvement of automated equipment supporting iron-air battery production. This role spans both equipment and automation engineering — as the primary technical lead for sustaining complex robotic cells, automated hardware, and the PLC/MES systems that run them, you'll troubleshoot failures, drive root-cause fixes, and build the standards that keep our lines running at high uptime and quality as we scale.

What You’ll Do

• Own the reliability, uptime, and continuous improvement of automated manufacturing equipment for modular products.

• Define and implement OEE and equipment performance metrics to identify loss drivers and prioritize sustaining work.

• Write, modify, and troubleshoot Siemens PLC logic (TIA Portal, S7-1500) and maintain controls architecture across robotic cells, including resistance welding, laser welding, and other automated process equipment.

• Troubleshoot equipment-to-MES data flows and integrations, ensuring accurate production and quality data capture.

• Lead root-cause analysis of assembly, quality, and equipment failures, converting findings into durable fixes and standard work.

• Stabilize production across shifts, reducing variation and unplanned downtime.

• Feed field and production issues back to product design and process engineering, providing DFM/DFA input that reduces equipment failures and downtime.

• Mentor and guide multidisciplinary engineering teams, building a culture of technical excellence in equipment troubleshooting and pragmatic problem-solving.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Controls, or related discipline, and 7+ years of relevant experience.

• Deep technical understanding of automated equipment for complex systems, with a track record of sustaining — not just installing — that equipment in live production.

• Hands-on PLC programming experience with Siemens platforms (S7-1500/S7-1200, TIA Portal), including writing and modifying logic from scratch, plus HMI/SCADA integration.

• Demonstrated expertise with Fanuc Robotics and other automation equipment.

• Familiarity with MES systems and equipment-to-MES data integration.

• Experience diagnosing and resolving equipment failures under production pressure, including developing assembly methods, tooling, fixtures, and work instructions to prevent recurrence.

• Ability to translate field issues into DFM/DFA feedback that improves manufacturability and reduces downstream downtime.

• Strong problem-solving skills addressing process, design, and human-factor-driven issues.

• Effective communicator across production, quality, controls, and design teams.

Where you'll work:

This role is based at Form Factory 1 in Weirton, WV—an easy commute from the city of Pittsburgh, PA. This 550,000-square-foot facility is our hub for high-volume battery production and a leader in the new era of American energy manufacturing. Relocation assistance is available.

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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.