Senior Controls and Automation Engineer

Posted 22 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Moses Lake, WA
In-Office
121K-152K Annually
Senior level
Nanotechnology • Energy
The Role
The role involves deploying and improving industrial machine control software, designing electrical subsystems, and collaborating with teams to create robust, well-documented code and systems.
Summary Generated by Built In
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 self-starter, experienced, capable Controls and Automation Engineer with an aptitude for learning new things and taking complex projects across the finish line. In your work at Sila, you will be responsible for deploying, modifying, and improving industrial machine control software and electronics that are robust, expandable, deterministic, and exceptionally well-documented. You have excellent communication skills to harmoniously collaborate with a wide range of skill sets: from scientists to technicians during the deploy stage, to out-of-house service providers across big, complicated interfaces during the build stage.

Responsibilities and Duties  
  • Work collaboratively with other teams to design robust, modular, well documented machine control code and electrical subsystems for synthesis tools.
  • Architect, design,  and deploy software for next generation synthesis tools
  • Contribute to and improve internally-developed software libraries that are used across the company, from research to production-scale tools.
  • Improve and debug hardware and equipment-driving software throughout the company.
  • Develop meaningful, robust unit tests for machines and document them rigorously.
  • Gather feedback from end-users of your work and distill into actionable modifications. Iterate.
Knowledge and Skill Requirements 
  • 5-8 years experience in directly OR related field experience. 
  • Experience deploying code on systems that interact with the physical world.
  • Experience designing HMIs and writing the underlying code.
  • Experience with high-level, object-oriented programming (C# or Python preferred).
  • Experience with revision control software (Git preferred).
  • Ability to write Structured Text and familiarity with other IEC 61131-3 languages.
  • Development, testing, and implementation experience of safety programs (TwinSAFE preferred).
  • Strong fundamental understanding of field-deployed electronics, sensors, and motion components.
  • Implementation of industrial Fieldbus communication protocols (EtherCAT, Profinet, EthernetIP, Modbus, etc.).
  • Familiarity with industrial electrical design, including: wiring diagrams, industrial network architecture, control panel design, power distribution, and protocols for process automation. Experience with unique and challenging industrial electrical safety requirements.
  • Understanding of how to integrate machines with facility/business interfaces (SCADA, MES, ERP, etc.).
  • At least a B.S. in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering and 8 years of industry experience (fewer for candidates with an advanced degree)
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
  • Enter spaces narrower than 3 feet
  • Climb stairs or over containment walls
  • Precise and repetitive handling of a range of material quantities
  • Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location

The starting base pay for this role is between $121,000 and $152,000 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, and bonuses.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
#LI-MY1 #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.

Top Skills

C#
Ethercat
Ethernetip
Git
Iec 61131-3
Modbus
Profinet
Python
Am I A Good Fit?
beta
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.

The Company
HQ: Alameda, California
408 Employees
Year Founded: 2011

What We Do

We are Sila—a next generation battery materials company dedicated to accelerating energy transformation for a more sustainable future.

Our next-gen anode material is the first significant chemistry improvement to lithium-ion batteries to reach the market in 30 years. Our silicon anode material is a simple drop-in replacement to graphite and significantly boosts the energy density of lithium-ion batteries without compromising performance.

Today, Sila science powers innovative consumer electronics. Tomorrow, it will fuel our EV future and the electrification of everything.

We work directly with leading consumer electronics and automotive OEMs to help accelerate product roadmaps, and partners with battery manufacturers commercial cell production. Our partners include BMW, Daimler, and ATL.

Sila Nano’s first products significantly increase the energy density of state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. Our materials are manufacturable economically at scale and are drop-in replacements to existing battery manufacturing processes.

Similar Jobs

Sila Nanotechnologies, Inc. Logo Sila Nanotechnologies, Inc.

Automation Engineer

Nanotechnology • Manufacturing
In-Office
Moses Lake, WA, USA
399 Employees
121K-152K Annually

UL Solutions Logo UL Solutions

Renewals Specialist

Automotive • Professional Services • Software • Consulting • Energy • Chemical • Renewable Energy
Hybrid
Vancouver, WA, USA
15000 Employees
45K-61K Annually

Atlassian Logo Atlassian

Research Intern, 2026 Summer U.S.

Cloud • Information Technology • Productivity • Security • Software • App development • Automation
In-Office or Remote
Seattle, WA, USA
11000 Employees
41-55 Hourly

Whatnot Logo Whatnot

Software Engineer

eCommerce • Mobile
In-Office
4 Locations
750 Employees
162K-260K Annually

Similar Companies Hiring

Ekotrope Thumbnail
Software • Information Technology • Greentech • Energy • Cloud
Boston, MA
29 Employees
UL Solutions Thumbnail
Software • Renewable Energy • Professional Services • Energy • Consulting • Chemical • Automotive
Chicago, IL
15000 Employees
Energy CX Thumbnail
Utilities • Professional Services • Greentech • Financial Services • Energy • Consulting • Business Intelligence
Chicago, IL
108 Employees

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account