Staff Mechanical Engineer, Operations Equipment

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

As a Staff Engineer on the Operations Engineering team, you will serve as a primary technical authority for tooling that enables our manufacturing scale-up. You will be responsible for architecting tooling strategies and supporting pneumatic systems that bridge the gap between pilot development and high-volume automated production. Your role involves navigating significant technical ambiguity to solve equipment failures and mentoring across the engineering organization to elevate our manufacturing capabilities. By driving the technical roadmap for production tooling and ensuring the long-term stability of our manufacturing floor, you will play a pivotal role in Form Energy’s mission to deliver the energy storage required for a more reliable electric grid.

What You’ll Do

• Architect tooling and fixturing strategies for fully semi and fully automated assembly lines, prioritizing long-term reliability and manufacturing uptime.

• Lead the design and integration of sophisticated pneumatic and hydraulic control systems for high-precision manufacturing applications.

• Drive the validation and deployment of novel tooling solutions, utilizing Six Sigma methodologies to minimize process variance and ensure repeatable quality.

• Partner with cross-functional leadership to identify and mitigate hardware risks early in the product lifecycle through rapid prototyping and simulation.

• Own the technical resolution of the most complex mechanical challenges on the factory floor, implementing robust Poka-yoke and modification strategies.

• Scale manufacturing capabilities by developing dimensional inspection protocols and specialized equipment for advanced processes like laser welding and resin delivery.

• Mentor junior and senior engineers in mechanical design best practices, GD&T, and DFM to foster a culture of technical excellence and creativity.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field.

• Typically 7 to 10 years of related work experience in mechanical design, tooling, or operations engineering, or a Master’s degree with significant industry experience.

• Expert-level proficiency in 3D CAD modeling and technical drawing creation, with a deep understanding of complex assembly management.

• Proven track record of leading large-scale tooling projects from concept through to high-volume production deployment.

• Mastery of pneumatic system design, automation integration, and precision component manufacturing.

• Extensive experience applying Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, and Poka-yoke principles to solve intricate hardware problems.

• Applied experience with advanced manufacturing techniques including additive manufacturing, precision trimming, and automated assembly.

• Intellectual curiosity and a pragmatic problem-solving mindset when addressing the high-stakes challenges of grid-scale hardware.

• Ability to thrive on complexity and lead through technical ambiguity with a focus on mission-critical grid reliability.

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 [email protected]. 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.