Manager, Factory Test & Validation

Job description

Are you ready to build America’s energy future? Form Energy is an American manufacturing and energy technology company. We’re revolutionizing energy storage with cost-effective, multi-day technology designed to keep the electric grid secure and reliable, even during extended periods of stress. By strengthening the electric system and reimagining what’s possible, we’re giving clean energy a whole new form! In recent years, Form Energy has earned a number of accolades, including being named by TIME as a “Best Invention”, MIT Technology Review as a “Top Climate Tech Company To Watch”, and Fast Company as “One of the Next Big Things In Tech”. We are making rapid progress on our mission of delivering energy storage for a better world, and our team is growing just as rapidly to meet demand. We have signed contracts with leading electric utilities across the United States and production of our iron-air batteries is underway at our first high-volume manufacturing facility in West Virginia. Working for Form Energy is more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something extraordinary. And now - right as we significantly scale up battery manufacturing - might be the most exciting moment in the company’s history to join. We are assembling a team of highly talented and driven 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 Form Energy is hiring a Manager of Factory Test Engineering & Validation to build, lead, and scale our factory validation lab. In this role, you will own the end-to-end testing lifecycle for lab-scale cells, product cells, and battery modules spanning End-of-Line Quality, Manufacturing Validation, and Ongoing Reliability Testing. This is a high-impact, hands-on role, needing an exceptional hardware test leader who knows how to build high-performing teams, commission complex test stands, establish rigorous SOPs, and turn lab infrastructure into a high-uptime, high-integrity data generation engine. Relocation assistance is available. WHAT YOU'LL DO: - Build, lead, and scale a versatile team of engineers and technicians covering test execution, cell build, and post-test teardown/analysis across Quality, Validation, and Reliability programs - Commission and bring up new hardware test stands, thermal chambers, and lab equipment from zero to fully qualified status - Maximize test throughput and uptime across all test channels by proactively identifying and resolving equipment, staffing, and operational bottlenecks - Ensure rigorous data integrity and traceability so lab outputs can be trusted to directly inform manufacturing control plans, reliability models, and engineering design changes - Lead post-test physical teardowns and failure investigations, translating complex hardware failure signatures into actionable engineering root-cause resolutions - Partner closely with Quality, Reliability, Manufacturing, and Test Infrastructure teams to align test cadence and sample flow with fast-moving factory production schedules - Champion a culture of lab safety and operational excellence by establishing standard work protocols, preventive maintenance programs, and continuous improvement initiatives WHAT YOU'LL BRING: - Demonstrated experience leading technical teams in a hardware test, validation, or manufacturing lab environment - Proven track record of standing up new hardware test infrastructure, high-power equipment, or environmental test channels from scratch, including SOP development and commissioning - Hands-on systems engineering mindset with the ability to directly troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, or data collection issues across complex hardware - Deep focus on operational rigor, including managing lab uptime, throughput metrics, equipment preventive maintenance, and data traceability standards - Strong cross-functional communication skills with a history of effectively bridging the gap between test operations, quality engineering, and factory manufacturing teams - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical, Chemical, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline WHERE YOU'LL WORK: This role is based at Form Factory 1 in Weirton, WV—an easy commute from the city of Pittsburgh, PA. This 550,000-square-foot facility is our hub for high-volume battery production and a leader in the new era of American energy manufacturing. Relocation assistance is available. #LI-Onsite #LI-DL1 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 America’s energy future, we need everyone at the table. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply to our open jobs. If you may require reasonable accommodations to participate in our interview process, please contact accommodations@formenergy.com. Requests for accommodations will be treated with discretion. Form Energy is committed to maintaining the privacy of our applicants. Please be aware that we will never solicit sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank account details during the recruiting or hiring process.