Director – Systems 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 are looking for an experienced engineering leader with expertise in product architecture and controls to join the Systems Engineering organization, which is responsible for delivering the integrated capabilities of Form’s multi-day storage product. In this director-level position, you will be responsible for creating and implementing processes to define technical requirements and interfaces used to inform mechanical, electrical, and control system designs. You will have ownership of the dynamic system and techno-economic modeling functions, which are used to run trade studies and downselect subsystem concepts. This role covers a broad scope of technical deliverables including battery module management algorithms, auxiliary system operation, and power plant performance optimization. In addition to a strong background in engineering management, you must bring experience in control system modeling and deep knowledge of systems engineering methodologies. Collaboration with other engineers and managers throughout the Tech Team will be a regular part of your workflows, as this role will include a blend of technical development and cross-team coordination.

What you’ll do:

• Lead the development and continuous improvement of models used to simulate the dynamic characteristics of Form’s multi-day storage system, including battery electrochemistry, auxiliary systems, power collection, and controls

• Run trade-studies to inform product architecture decisions; facilitate alignment between stakeholders throughout the Tech Team

• Devise subsystem concepts for current and next gen products, iterate on concepts as new information about subsystem characteristics and performance becomes available

• Establish functional requirements, interface definitions, and controls concept of operations for each subsystem

• Develop control algorithms which will be implemented on real-time embedded systems within the battery management system

• Identify key technical resourcing needs then build and manage a team of product architects and controls engineers

• Devise approaches to improve product performance through design and controls optimization; execute on performance optimization campaigns and report progress to senior leadership

• Coordinate with internal teams on failure analysis, verification and validation test plans, certifications, and product deployment processes (factory and field)

What you’ll bring:

• 12+ years industrial experience in controls development or systems engineering; direct experience with grid-interactive energy storage systems is a plus

• 5+ years experience in a senior technical management role in a product development environment

• BSc or greater in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or similar

• Track record of tactical decision making, strategic planning, and successful team building

• Deep experience with model-based design and systems engineering principles

• Experience with software development, particularly high-level languages including Python; familiarity with low-level languages is a plus

• Solid knowledge of electrochemical systems, battery safety, and state estimation algorithms

• Strong multi-disciplinary engineering competency, including electronics, materials, fluid dynamics, thermal management, and power systems

• Strong technical communication skills, both written and verbal

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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.