Advanced Materials, Battery Technology, Clean Energy, Automotive, Consumer Electronics

Staff Engineer, Process Controls

Alameda, CAOnsiteFull TimeStaffPosted 8 days agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

process controls
instrumentation
P&IDs
PLCs
Structured Text
IEC 61131-3
HMIs
Profinet
Modbus
NFPA

Role summary

Sila is seeking a Staff Engineer, Process Controls to develop complex materials processing equipment. This role involves executing industrial process controls and instrumentation designs, ensuring systems are safe, reliable, and well-documented. Responsibilities include designing control systems, implementing strategies, creating documentation, participating in safety reviews, and collaborating with vendors and end-users. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of industry experience, proficiency in control system design principles, PLC programming, HMI design, industrial communication protocols, and regulatory compliance. The position requires a strong understanding of safety standards and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

About Us

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world?

Who You Are

You are a high-level performer who works independently within established guidelines to develop complex materials processing equipment. In your work at Sila, you will execute industrial process controls and instrumentation designs through influence and technical mastery, ensuring systems are safe, reliable, and well-documented. You possess excellent communication skills to harmoniously collaborate across teams and contribute to the growth and development of your teammates.

Responsibilities and Duties

Execute process controls and instrumentation designs for production-scale synthesis equipment by working collaboratively with other teams to design robust, modular, and well-documented controls.

Implement control system strategies to execute processes, ensuring designs are incorporated in Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) according to established standards.

Create and maintain design documentation—including instrument indexes, I/O lists, alarm lists, cause and effect matrices, and SIL/IPL verification forms—participate in HAZOP reviews, source and select instrumentation, and contribute to project templates.

Engage successfully with a range of different outside vendors for process controls designs and electrical / instrumentation subsystems.

Participate in safety reviews following established safety guidelines to ensure safe design of the process, and own closing controls recommendations.

Assist in bringing online hardware and code.

Gather feedback from end-users of your work and collaborate to implement actionable modifications, sharing best practices with the team.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

Proficiency in control system design principles, including PID control, cascade control, and advanced control techniques.

Strong knowledge of instrumentation principles and devices (e.g., flow meters, level transmitters, temperature sensors) and industrial communication protocols (e.g., Profinet, Modbus).

Experience with the full design lifecycle of process control systems, including creating Cause & Effect diagrams, Safety Requirements Specification (SRS), and Alarm Rationalization

Hands-on experience with PLCs and writing Structured Text and familiarity with other IEC 61131-3 languages.

Experience designing and programming intuitive and user-friendly human-machine interfaces (HMIs) to enable real-time monitoring and control.

Experience with ensuring regulatory compliance related to process controls standards, such as, NFPA, UL508A, and IEC 61151.

5+ years of industry experience is required. B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering preferred.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes

Move items up to 50 lbs with the assistance of lift equipment and carts

Move long distances (such as from building to building) and be stationary for extended periods of time

Reach low shelves or items on the floor

Climb stairs or over containment walls

Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location

Travel up to 20%

The starting base pay for this role is between $151,000 and $191,000 at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.#LI-MY1

Working at Sila

We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.

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