---
title: 'Director of Cell Equipment and Manufacturing Engineering at Sila'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-cell-equipment-and-manufacturing-engineering-sila-alameda-z9br1k58xhgk'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-13'
---

# Director of Cell Equipment and Manufacturing Engineering at Sila

- **Company:** Sila
- **Location:** Alameda, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-10-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/silananotechnologies/jobs/8265566

## Job description

## 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

Sila is seeking a Director of Cell Equipment and Manufacturing Engineering to build and lead the technical organization responsible for the equipment specification, vendor selection, machinery bring-up, and manufacturing line optimization across our cell production facilities. Reporting directly to the VP of Foundry Operations, this executive will serve as the primary authority for transforming cell process chemistry into high-speed, automated, and audit-ready manufacturing lines.

This position is distinct from our early-stage R&D Battery Engineering team; while R&D develops early material chemistries and lab-scale cells, the Director of Cell Equipment and Manufacturing Engineering owns the physical industrialization—taking custom machinery from initial concept and sourcing through installation, line bring-up, and steady-state high-yield production.

The ideal candidate blends rigorous equipment engineering expertise with deep operational bring-up experience. You know how to author tight equipment specifications, run global tendering processes with machine builders, manage Factory and Site Acceptance Testing (FAT/SAT), and lead hands-on line commissioning in dry room and cleanroom environments. You are a low-ego, data-driven leader who excels at bridging technical teams and scaling talent in high-growth hardware environments.

## Responsibilities  and Duties

- Equipment Specification & Standard Architecture: Define standard equipment requirements, line architecture, machine safety protocols, and line layouts across electrode, cell assembly, formation, aging, and end-of-line testing.
- Global Sourcing & Vendor Down-Selection: Direct technical RFQs, vendor evaluations, design reviews, and technical agreements with global equipment OEMs across North America, Europe, and Asia.
- Factory Bring-Up, FAT & SAT: Own end-to-end equipment commissioning: direct Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) at vendor sites, oversee shipping and installation, and execute Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) and mechanical/electrical bring-up.
- Manufacturing Engineering & Yield Ramp: Lead process engineering and line optimization post-commissioning to drive steady-state throughput, line yield, OEE, statistical process control (SPC), and cost-down roadmaps.
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Collaborate with R&D Battery Engineering and Product teams to align cell specifications and form factors to define automated assembly tooling and automated high-rate lines.
- Facilities & Utility Hookup: Partner with the Capital Project team to execute construction, integrating cell infrastructure, including clean rooms, dry rooms, solvent recovery systems, hazardous material handling, and dry air systems.
- Automation & Digital Integration: Direct the integration of machine controls, PLC architectures, robotics, and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) to track production data, quality metrics, and maintenance scheduling.
- Team Leadership & Development: Recruit, mentor, and scale a multi-disciplinary team spanning equipment engineers, process engineers, controls/automation engineers, and field service technicians.
- GWh Equipment Sourcing Roadmap: Finalize equipment specifications, the supplier matrix, and capital expenditure plans for Sila's initial GWh-scale commercial plant lines.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

- Leadership Experience: Minimum 10+ years in equipment engineering, battery manufacturing engineering, or automated industrial machinery bring-up, with 5+ years leading technical engineering teams.
- Lithium-Ion Machinery Depth: Direct experience specifying, selecting, and bringing up core cell manufacturing machinery: mixers, coaters, slitters, winders/stackers, tab welders, pouch/can sealers, electrolyte filling, formation/aging systems, and EOL test equipment.
- Vendor & Program Management: Proven track record running vendor selection, design reviews, and FAT/SAT with global equipment OEMs.
- Commissioning & Line Bring-Up Track Record: Hands-on experience taking complex hardware lines through commissioning to qualified, high-yield production.
- Facilities & Environmental Integration: Practical understanding of dry room requirements (dew point controls), cleanrooms, and chemical/hazardous media safety compliance.
- High-Growth Agility: Experience operating in fast-paced, high-growth, hardware environments with a pragmatic, continuous-improvement mindset.
- Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related technical field.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

The work environment and physical demands are representative of those the employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Rarely: Carrying, Climbing Stairs and Ladders, Kneeling, Squatting, Hearing, Heights, Kneeling, Bending, Stooping, Wet Climates, Hazards, Noise greater than 85 decibels

Occasionally: Sanding, Walking

Frequently: Reading, Sitting

Constantly: Grasping, Hearing, Reaching, Reading, Repetitive Motions, Sitting, Vision

The starting base pay for this role is between $207,000 and $262,000 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, and equity.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

## #LI-CL1

## #LI-ONSITE

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.

## About Sila

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Sila develops and manufactures next-generation silicon anode materials that dramatically improve the energy density and fast-charge capability of lithium-ion batteries.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series G – $375M raised in close of Series G round)
- **Headquarters**: Alameda, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2011
- **Founders**: Gene Berdichevsky (CEO), Gleb Yushin (CTO), Alex Jacobs (VP, Engineering)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Battery materials / Advanced manufacturing / Clean energy
- **Target customers**: B2B – automotive OEMs (Mercedes-Benz, BMW), consumer electronics makers (WHOOP), and cell manufacturers
- **Mission / purpose**: “Power the world’s transition to clean energy” by delivering high-performance battery materials that require less mining, produce less CO₂, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

## Products & Services
- **Titan Silicon® Anode**: A drop-in silicon anode material that provides exceptional energy density and fast-charge improvements for any lithium-ion battery application. Already shipping in millions of devices (e.g., WHOOP 4.0).
- **Battery Engineering Services**: A collaborative service that works with OEMs and cell suppliers to define and deliver optimized cell performance using Sila’s materials.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding exceeds $1B (including a $600M Series F in 2021, a $375M Series G close, and a $100M U.S. Department of Energy grant)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Panasonic Energy, REC Silicon (long-term supply agreement), and the U.S. DOE (ARPA‑E)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Commenced operations at a 600,000+ sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington – the first and largest silicon anode plant in the western world.
  - Over 250 patents filed and pending worldwide.
  - Headcount of ~410 employees (LinkedIn, 2026), with 80% in the U.S. and strong technical hiring (40 active job postings, +25% quarterly growth).
  - Already powering millions of devices in the market (WHOOP).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Foundational IP**: Invented by co‑founder and CTO Prof. Gleb Yushin (Georgia Tech), with a deep patent portfolio covering the low‑swell silicon anode chemistry and cell recipes.
- **Proven at scale**: Only advanced battery materials company with both GWh‑scale production and millions of products in the field.
- **Strategic partnerships**: Long‑term agreements with top automotive and consumer electronics brands, de‑risking future adoption.
- **U.S. supply chain focus**: Moses Lake plant strengthens domestic battery manufacturing, reducing reliance on foreign supply.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale production**: Continue building out the Moses Lake facility and prepare for global deployment of Titan Silicon.
- **Deepen OEM integration**: Work closely with partners like Mercedes‑Benz (EQG will be the first car powered by Sila material) to enable product‑level differentiation.
- **Expand applications**: Move beyond automotive and wearable into grid storage, power tools, and other lithium‑ion‑powered devices.
- **Sustainability**: Reduce mining and CO₂ emissions across the battery value chain.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “Do great work with good people” – a collaborative, humble, and ambitious environment focused on solving hard technical challenges.
- **Diversity & Inclusion**: Equal opportunity employer with active Employee Resource Groups; DEI seen as a force multiplier for innovation.
- **Benefits**: Comprehensive medical/dental/vision, 401k with partial match up to $5,000, employee stock options (ISOs), generous parental leave, subsidized lunch, well‑stocked kitchen, charitable giving, and a pet‑friendly office (“Pups” program).
- **Work environment**: Primarily on‑site at the Alameda HQ or Moses Lake manufacturing plant; engineering culture emphasizes cross‑disciplinary teamwork in chemistry, materials science, and manufacturing.
- **Impact**: Contribute directly to the clean energy transition by commercializing breakthrough battery materials.

## Sources
1. [silanano.com](https://www.silanano.com/)
2. [silanano.com/about-us](https://www.silanano.com/about-us)
3. [silanano.com/careers](https://www.silanano.com/careers)
4. [silanano.com/culture](https://www.silanano.com/culture)
5. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sila-nanotechnologies-inc-)

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