---
title: 'Controls Engineer at Redwood Materials'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/controls-engineer-redwood-materials-mccarran-8m18h7q532d6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-26'
---

# Controls Engineer at Redwood Materials

- **Company:** Redwood Materials
- **Location:** Mccarran, NV
- **Posted:** 2026-10-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-26
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/redwoodmaterials/jobs/6226240004?gh_jid=6226240004

## Job description

## About Redwood Materials

Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by JB Straubel, co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, on a simple but radical idea: the critical minerals powering the energy transition already exist. They just need to come back. Today Redwood is the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America — recovering, refining, and redeploying critical minerals from end-of-life batteries back into the supply chain. On the energy side, Redwood has deployed the largest second-life battery project in the world, delivering power to AI data centers in months rather than years using proprietary energy architecture engineered entirely in-house. The company is profitable, the market it operates in is projected to grow 20 to 50 times over the next decade, and Redwood is the only company with the supply chain, the technology, and the operational scale to lead it.

Controls Engineer

We are seeking an experienced Controls Engineer who is passionate about pushing beyond the cutting edge of the industry to design, build, and debug best-in-class controls systems for Redwood’s battery recycling operations. This engineer will play a critical role in designing, commissioning, scaling, and supporting all of Redwood’s recycling facilities working at the intersection of chemical process engineering, industrial automation, and software development.

Responsibilities will include:

- Designing and implementing real‑time control software in C++ for embedded and industrial systems
- Developing automation tools, diagnostics, and orchestration scripts in Python
- Writing, optimizing, and troubleshooting Structured Text (IEC 61131‑3) for PLCs and industrial controllers
- Building deterministic control loops, state machines, and safety‑critical routines
- Integrating software with sensors, actuators, drives, and industrial communication networks
- Debugging complex issues involving timing, concurrency, hardware interfaces, and industrial protocols
- Leading system architecture decisions for control platforms and distributed automation systems
- Conducting root‑cause analysis for field issues and implementing long‑term fixes
- Collaborating with controls, electrical, and product teams to translate requirements into robust software designs
- Mentoring engineers in real‑time programming, PLC development, and industrial best practices

Qualifications:

- 2–5 years of hands-on experience in controls engineering, industrial automation, or system integration within a high-volume manufacturing environment
- Proficiency in modern C++ for real‑time or embedded systems
- Solid experience with Python for automation, tooling, or data processing
- Hands‑on experience writing Structured Text for PLCs or industrial controllers
- Deep understanding of deterministic execution, concurrency, and hardware‑software interaction
- Experience with industrial protocols such as Modbus, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, or PROFINET
- Proven ability to lead complex engineering efforts while contributing significant hands‑on code
- Strong debugging skills across software, hardware, and network layers
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience with motion control, robotics, or process automation
- Familiarity with embedded Linux, RTOS environments, or microcontroller development
- Knowledge of industrial cybersecurity standards or best practices
- Experience with simulation tools, digital twins, or hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing
- Background integrating C++ runtimes with PLC or SCADA systems

The position is full-time. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.

We collect personal information (PI) from you in connection with your application for employment with Redwood Materials, including the following categories of PI: identifiers, personal records, professional or employment information, and inferences drawn from your PI. We collect your PI for our purposes, including performing services and operations related to your potential employment. If you have additional privacy-related questions, please contact us at privacy@redwoodmaterials.com.

## About Redwood Materials

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Redwood Materials recycles lithium-ion batteries to recover critical minerals and deploys large-scale energy storage systems, building a domestic circular supply chain for batteries.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Late-stage; Series E closed at $425M in October 2025)
- **Headquarters**: Carson City, Nevada, USA (with campuses in Northern Nevada, South Carolina, and an R&D center in San Francisco)
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: JB Straubel (former Tesla CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Battery recycling, critical materials production, and energy storage
- **Target customers**: B2B – automotive OEMs, data center operators, utilities, and grid-scale energy storage buyers
- **Mission/purpose**: “Securing U.S. critical materials. Powering America’s energy future.” – building a resilient domestic supply chain for batteries and enabling the energy transition.

## Products & Services
- **Critical Materials Production**: Recovers lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper from end-of-life batteries (recycling) and produces cathode active material at scale. [redwoodmaterials.com](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/)
- **Redwood Energy**: Designs, integrates, and deploys large-scale energy storage systems (BESS) for data centers and the grid, using both new and repurposed batteries. [redwoodmaterials.com](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/)
- **Battery Bin**: Consumer-facing recycling program launched in December 2025 to collect end-of-life batteries. [redwoodmaterials.com/about/](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/about/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: ~$6 billion (as of October 2025, per Wikipedia)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised >$1.4B (over $1B in 2023 plus $425M Series E in 2025). Annual revenue not publicly disclosed.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Partners include Volkswagen Group of America, Panasonic, GM/Ultium Cells, Volvo, Amazon, Toyota, Southern Company, BMW of North America, Crusoe, Lime, Caterpillar, Isuzu. [redwoodmaterials.com](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Opened South Carolina recycling campus (2025) and SF R&D center (2025)
  - Launched Redwood Energy storage division (2025)
  - Expanded into Europe (2022)
  - Recognized as Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies (2024, 2026) and Time100 Climate (2024)
  - Active job postings: 79 (as of mid-2026), with monthly growth of +83.7% [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/redwood-materials)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Technology moat**: Recovers >95% of metals (nickel, cobalt, lithium, copper) from end-of-life batteries, creating a low-cost domestic source of critical materials.
- **Vertical integration**: Combines recycling, refining, cathode production, and energy storage deployment under one roof.
- **Strategic partnerships**: Deep relationships with nearly every major automotive OEM and energy companies, ensuring feedstock and offtake.
- **First-mover in U.S. battery circularity**: One of the largest domestic sources of critical minerals, reducing reliance on foreign supply chains.

## Strategic Focus
- Scale domestic battery material production and energy storage manufacturing to meet U.S. grid and EV demand.
- Expand Redwood Energy as a standalone business unit for utility and data center storage.
- Grow consumer recycling programs (Battery Bin) and deepen partnerships with automakers and energy companies.
- Continue R&D in advanced battery chemistries and recycling processes at the San Francisco innovation center.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Employees are motivated by building a resilient U.S. energy future and solving climate challenges.
- **Pioneering environment**: Described as “pioneers, innovators, and collaborators” working on chemistry, materials science, automation, and advanced equipment design. [redwoodmaterials.com/join/](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/join/)
- **Locations**: Multiple campuses – Tahoe (Northern Nevada), Carolina (South Carolina), and downtown San Francisco R&D center.
- **Growth opportunities**: Rapid scaling with 79+ open roles across engineering, operations, EPC, software, and business functions. Top talent sources include Tesla (207 alumni), Panasonic, Rivian, and Chewy.
- **Work style**: Hybrid/office presence expected at campuses; culture emphasizes making difficult decisions and implementing design constraints to drive impact.

## Sources
1. [redwoodmaterials.com](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/)
2. [redwoodmaterials.com/about/](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/about/)
3. [redwoodmaterials.com/join/](https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/join/)
4. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/redwood-materials)
5. [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwood_Materials)

## Other roles at Redwood Materials

- [Energy Production Planner](https://feeny.ai/job/energy-production-planner-redwood-materials-mccarran-52s8s85vpcz7) — Mccarran, NV
- [Staff Global Supply Manager, Construction](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-global-supply-manager-construction-redwood-materials-san-francisco-3n2x4fcm6etp) — San Francisco, CA
- [Payroll Specialist III](https://feeny.ai/job/payroll-specialist-iii-redwood-materials-carson-city-30e05zkbpw79) — Carson City, NV
- [Staff Environmental Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-environmental-engineer-redwood-materials-mccarran-qbc1h522m5tr) — Mccarran, NV
- [Senior Supply Chain Program Manager, Energy Storage](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-supply-chain-program-manager-energy-storage-redwood-materials-san-a0d24zgf7tnd) — San Francisco, CA
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- [Senior Construction Field Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-construction-field-manager-redwood-materials-mccarran-qqrbastybfxv) — Mccarran, NV
- [Accounts Payable Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/accounts-payable-specialist-redwood-materials-carson-city-5984ftx3yhrp) — Carson City, NV
- [Senior Finance Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-finance-associate-redwood-materials-san-francisco-pgkdjce6g6a5) — San Francisco, CA
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