Staff Modeling & Controls Engineer

Form Energy; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 148,000 - 222,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Form Energy is accelerating development of multi-day energy storage solutions. The Modeling and Controls team leads physics-based modeling and control algorithm development to optimize system performance and cost across mechanical, thermal, and electrical domains.

You will collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and firmware teams to translate system requirements into control software and model specifications, while supporting validation campaigns and limited travel for prototype testing.

Qualifications

• PhD in Engineering with relevant experience, or MS with 5+ years.
• Strong background in classical control theory and state estimation.
• Experience with model-based design tools (Simulink/Stateflow) and Embedded Coder.
• Experience with multi-physics reduced-order models (thermal, fluids, electrical).
• Experience with complex electromechanical systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate physics-based dynamic models for mechanical, fluids, thermal systems that tie into the integrated system model.
• Develop control algorithms to optimize system performance and cost.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate requirements into control software specs.
• Lead model validation campaigns with test engineers to close gaps between model and reality.
• Drive system architecture trade studies for optimal design.
• Travel to support controls bring-up and testing on prototype testbeds (limited).

Skills

Classical control theory

State observers & filters

Model-based design

Electromechanical systems

Multi-physics modeling

Matlab/Simulink

Git

Education

PhD in Engineering

MS in Engineering

Tools

Simulink/Stateflow

Embedded Coder

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

The Modeling and Controls team at Form is growing! Our team develops models and controls algorithms for our Multi-Day Energy Storage products that enable the optimization of system performance and cost. In this role, you will be leading the development of these models and control algorithms along with helping shape the framework that the team operates within. This team is part of our broader Hardware & Systems Engineering Org and interfaces with multiple engineering disciplines, which will give you the opportunity to work on a diverse set of engineering problems ranging from air handling to thermal management and fluid systems.

Relocation assistance is available.

What You'll Do

• Develop and validate physics-based dynamic models for a variety of systems: mechanical, fluids, thermal, etc. that tie into Form’s integrated system model.
• Develop control algorithms that optimize system performance and cost.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, and firmware teams to translate system-level requirements into controls SW requirements and model specifications.
• Lead model validation campaigns by collaborating with test engineers to define instrumentation needs, collect test bed data, and close model-to-actual gaps through parameterization and verification.
• Drive product architecture trade studies to ensure an optimal system design.
• Travel to support controls bring-up and testing on prototype testbeds (limited).

What You'll Bring

• 3+ years of relevant experience with a PhD in Engineering or 5+ years with an M.S.
• Demonstrated experience in classical control theory: feedback controllers, state observers, filters, state machine design etc.
• Track record of delivering production-embedded code using model-based design tools (Simulink/Stateflow + Embedded Coder or similar).
• Track record of developing and validating multi-physics reduced-order models (thermal, fluids, electrical or similar).
• Experience working on/with complex electromechanical systems.
• Experience using Matlab/Simulink/Stateflow and version control using Git.

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.

Compensation Range: $147,959 - $221,973