Director, Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, Assembly
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
Form Energy is pioneering a new class of iron-air battery technology to transform the electric grid. We are seeking a manufacturing engineering leader to take overall accountability for industrializing our battery assembly processes and equipment—spanning cell, module, and full system integration. You will resource and lead a multidisciplinary team through the full lifecycle: product design handoff, line concept development, equipment vendor evaluation and downselection, FAT/SAT, process qualification, and handoff to manufacturing operations and sustaining engineering.
This is a critical leadership role at the intersection of product, process, and equipment engineering. You will treat the factory as a product—ensuring your team delivers scalable, cost-effective, and highly capable manufacturing systems in close partnership with product design, supply chain, quality, and operations.
What you'll own:
Team Leadership
Build, resource, and lead a world-class advanced manufacturing engineering organization. Set the vision, operating cadence, and culture—driving excellence, urgency, and technical rigor.
Recruit, develop, and retain top engineering talent. Coach managers and senior engineers to grow into leaders who can scale with the organization.
Process Development & Industrialization
Be accountable for the end-to-end roadmap for process and equipment development, DFM/DFX, equipment design, and deployment across all levels of assembly.
Ensure your team translates product architecture of Form Energy’s cell, module, and pack into scalable, robust manufacturing processes for joining, sealing, precision assembly, testing, and system integration.
Drive risk identification and mitigation through PFMEA, DFM reviews, inspection strategies, and control plans. Hold the team accountable for structured experimentation (DOE), root-cause analysis, and rapid corrective action.
Champion lean principles: ensure successive iterations simplify designs, eliminate non-value-add steps, and reduce cost and complexity.
Equipment Strategy & Vendor Management
Own assembly line strategy from concept through commissioning—at scales ranging from pilot to fully automated, high-throughput production.
Direct the equipment supplier lifecycle: line concept development, specification authoring, vendor evaluation and downselection, and partnership with supply chain through contracting and procurement.
Establish and enforce Form Energy standards for automation, controls, safety, ergonomics, and maintainability. Lead make-vs-buy analysis and build in-house expertise where strategically advantageous.
Process Qualification & Handoff
Be accountable for demonstrating process readiness before handoff to operations: burst builds, capability studies (Cp/Cpk), GR&R validation, SPC implementation, and production documentation (PFMEAs, control plans).
Own launch and ramp strategy in partnership with operations, ensuring a clean, well-documented transition to sustaining engineering.
Strategic Planning & Cross-Functional Alignment
Own factory capacity modeling and inform make/buy decisions, tooling strategy, and production scaling plans.
Ensure cross-functional alignment with product design, quality, supply chain, and operations to hit technical milestones, cost targets, and production readiness goals.
Contribute to capital planning—providing input on equipment investment timing, risk-adjusted scaling scenarios, and long-lead procurement decisions.
What you'll bring:
Required
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or Electrical Engineering (or related field).
12+ years of experience developing, launching, and scaling manufacturing systems from pilot to high-volume production; 5+ years in a senior leadership role with full people-management responsibility.
Track record of launching complex, innovative products into high-volume manufacturing—preferably in batteries, automotive, energy systems, or analogously complex industries.
Deep expertise in assembly processes (joining, sealing, leak testing, precision alignment, electromechanical integration) and automation.
Mastery of statistical tools and quality systems: DOE, SPC, GR&R, capability analysis, and structured problem-solving (8D, A3, DMAIC).
Proven experience managing equipment suppliers and leading FAT/SAT and commissioning activities.
Excellent communication and executive presence—able to align diverse stakeholders and present to senior leadership.
Preferred
Master’s degree or MBA.
Experience in battery cell, module, or pack manufacturing.
Experience launching greenfield manufacturing facilities or production lines from concept through ramp.
Proficiency with CAD/simulation tools (SolidWorks, CATIA, FlexSim) and familiarity with robotic systems (Fanuc, ABB, KUKA) and MES/ERP platforms.
Why Form Energy?
This is a rare opportunity to define how an entirely new class of energy storage technology is manufactured at scale. You won’t be optimizing someone else’s process—you’ll be building the playbook. If you are a leader who thrives on building teams, systems, and capabilities from the ground up, we want to hear from you.
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 accommodations@formenergy.com. 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.