Senior Equipment Engineer - Battery Prototype Line

Position Summary

Forge Nano is seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Senior Equipment Engineer to support the operation, reliability, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the company's cylindrical lithium-ion Battery Prototype Line. Reporting to the Director of the Battery Prototype Line, this role will lead equipment engineering activities across battery manufacturing operations while providing day-to-day supervision of the equipment engineering team.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced development and prototyping environment and possesses a strong combination of technical expertise, leadership capability, and problem-solving skills. This individual will collaborate cross-functionally with teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, EHS, Facilities, Utilities, Supply Chain, Science, and Technical Operations to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of battery manufacturing equipment. The Senior Equipment Engineer will play a critical role in driving equipment uptime, improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), implementing preventive and predictive maintenance programs, and supporting successful cell build activities.

Responsibilities

Equipment Reliability & Maintenance Leadership

• Own and lead the equipment reliability strategy for the Battery Prototype Line.
• Track and improve key reliability metrics including:
  • Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF)
  • Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
  • Equipment Availability
  • Downtime Pareto Analysis
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Lead equipment downtime investigations and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Develop equipment criticality assessments and maintenance strategies.
• Identify chronic equipment losses and drive reliability improvement initiatives.
• Develop, implement, track, and document preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Ensure equipment is maintained and operated to achieve production, quality, and safety objectives.

Equipment Operations & Technical Support

• Lead troubleshooting, root cause analysis, documentation, and implementation of corrective and preventive action plans for Battery Prototype Line equipment.
• Support equipment installation, commissioning, startup, qualification, calibration, and validation activities.
• Provide technical expertise for automated manufacturing systems and electromechanical equipment.
• Support Manufacturing Engineers and Process Engineers during battery cell build activities.
• Coordinate equipment changeovers and ensure appropriate planning, execution, and documentation.
• Develop technical solutions and cost estimates to improve equipment performance, reliability, and safety.

Documentation & Compliance

• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve:
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Preventive Maintenance Plans
  • Equipment Calibration Programs
  • Equipment Documentation Packages
• Ensure accurate maintenance records and equipment history documentation.
• Support compliance with quality, environmental, health, and safety requirements.
• Review Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) and HAZOP studies to support safe equipment operation and startup activities.

Spare Parts & Supply Chain Management

• Identify critical spare parts requirements and maintain inventory strategies to support equipment reliability.
• Track spare parts consumption and forecast future requirements.
• Coordinate spare parts procurement activities to minimize equipment downtime.
• Evaluate, qualify, and manage suppliers to ensure quality, availability, and cost effectiveness.
• Support development of a reliable and localized supply chain where appropriate.

Team Leadership & Training

• Provide day-to-day supervision, coaching, and technical guidance to equipment engineering personnel.
• Train engineers and technicians on equipment operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and safety procedures.
• Maintain training records and coordinate refresher training programs when procedures are updated.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence.

Continuous Improvement & Project Management

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment uptime, OEE, product quality, and safety.
• Lead reliability and productivity improvement projects from conception through implementation.
• Coordinate with contractors, vendors, and consultants to support equipment and facility projects.
• Manage project scope, timelines, budgets, and deliverables.
• Support future equipment upgrades, technology implementation, and manufacturing scale-up activities.

The following responsibilities represent the primary duties of this role and are not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience maintaining, troubleshooting, or managing automated manufacturing equipment.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting:
  • PLCs
  • HMIs
  • Industrial Controls
  • Sensors
  • Servo Systems
  • Safety Circuits
  • Industrial Networks
  • Electromechanical Systems
• Experience with equipment installation, commissioning, startup, calibration, and preventive maintenance.
• Experience with industrial communication systems, SCADA platforms, and data historians.
• Ability to read and interpret equipment schematics, layout drawings, and plot plans.
• Experience utilizing statistical process control (SPC) and data analysis tools.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership abilities.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

• Experience in lithium-ion battery manufacturing or battery cell production environments.
• Experience supporting cylindrical lithium-ion cell manufacturing equipment.
• Experience in reliability engineering, maintenance strategy development, and asset management.
• Knowledge of battery manufacturing processes and material handling systems.
• Experience supervising equipment engineering or maintenance teams.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM, or continuous improvement methodologies.

Work Environment

This position operates in both an office environment and a battery prototype manufacturing environment. Employees working in the prototype line may be exposed to battery manufacturing materials and chemicals and must adhere to all applicable environmental, health, and safety requirements. Required personal protective equipment (PPE) may include: safety glasses, protective gloves, steel-toe footwear, lab coat, and powered air purifying respirator (PAPR). Hard Hat Strict adherence to company policies, operating procedures, and safety protocols is required.

Physical Requirements

This position requires frequent standing, walking, reaching, climbing, bending, and use of hands to operate tools, equipment, and computers. The employee must regularly communicate with team members and stakeholders in both office and manufacturing settings. Occasional lifting, carrying, and moving of equipment, tools, and spare parts may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

Travel

Up to 15% travel may be required to support equipment suppliers, contractors, customer locations, project activities, training, and other business needs.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000.00 - $120,000.00 annually. The salary range for this exempt position will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and alignment with internal equity among current employees.

Benefits Offered:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

• Life and Disability Insurance

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance

• FSA and HSA Programs

• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match

• Paid Time Off (PTO) & Floating Holidays

• Paid Company Holidays

• Paid Parental Leave

Forge Nano Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.