Director, Mechanical Engineering

Are you ready to build America's clean energy future with the team that will deliver? Form Energy is an American energy technology and manufacturing company. We are pioneering a new class of iron-air batteries to enable our electric grid to run on renewable, reliable, and affordable energy, every day of the year.
Form Energy has been recognized by TIME as "One of the Best Inventions of 2023" for its battery technology and by MIT Technology Review as a "Top Climate Tech Company to Watch". We are making rapid progress on our mission of delivering energy storage for a better world, and are growing just as rapidly to meet demand. Our team has more than doubled in size in the past year, and continues to expand every day. We have signed contracts with leading electric utilities across the United States. Pilot production of our iron-air batteries has already begun, and later this year, production will take off to high volumes at our new factory in West Virginia.
Working for Form Energy is more than just a job, it's a chance to be part of something extraordinary. And right now might be the most exciting moment in the company's history to join. We are assembling a team of some of the most talented and motivated 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
We're hiring for a highly experienced Director, Mechanical Engineering to lead our Cell Engineering Design team in Berkeley, CA. This team is responsible for delivering the mechanical architecture and design of multiple generations of Form Energy's iron-air battery cell; candidates must bring experience in design for high volume manufacturing. The Director, Mechanical Engineering will recruit and hire for a world class team to execute on the development of multiple generations of our product cell design in parallel. Subsequent product generations shall aim for reduced cost, increased reliability and performance, and higher volume production. This role will require regular travel to our battery manufacturing plant in Weirton, WV (20% travel required). The ideal candidate possesses expertise in designing mechanical assemblies composed of low-cost metal and plastic components, with experience in design for high-volume manufacturing. Further, the ideal candidate is a strong advocate for rigorous mechanical verification and validation testing. Overall, we're looking for a battle-tested technical hardware director who wants to grow a team, drive product development for a cutting edge energy storage technology, as well as lead hands-on design, prototyping, and manufacturing ramp efforts. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of scaling our multi-day energy storage system at Form and contributing to a sustainable future!
What you'll do:

• Manage and grow a world-class team of mechanical engineers that deliver on key objectives toward advancing Form Energy's cell product development efforts
• Lead the product development process and mechanical design of multiple generations of Form Energy's iron-air battery cell; develop processes for managing parallel development efforts on multiple product versions simultaneously
• Drive design negotiations across our engineering and manufacturing teams to achieve product designs that meet cost, manufacturability, reliability, and performance requirements
• Provide thought leadership in and drive execution of new mechanical design and prototyping campaigns for components and assemblies
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of battery, chemical, and electrical engineers to execute product architecture trades
• Identify and mitigate potential risks related to mechanical design and program schedule taking proactive steps to prevent issues; provide regular risk reporting updates to senior leadership

What you'll bring:

• Bachelor's or advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in Mechanical Engineering, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership role

• Prior leadership and management experience is required, demonstrating a clear record of success in building industry-leading teams that can execute in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Proven track record of successful hardware product development in the energy storage, renewable energy, solar, automotive, or related industries
• Well-developed experience leading teams to develop hardware products from concept phase to product launch
• Must bring experience in design of components and assemblies for high volume manufacturing

• Ability to travel to our West Virginia based factory approximately 20% of the time.

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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 a clean and equitable energy future, we need everyone at the table. We strive to form a team as diverse as the communities we will serve with our technology, and are committed to maintaining an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply to our open jobs.