MES Engineer

About the company

Form Energy is a battery startup developing long-duration iron-air energy storage systems that can discharge for up to 100 hours.

About this role

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 We are seeking a seasoned MES Engineer to join our Manufacturing Control and Execution Systems organization. In this high-impact role, you will lead a dedicated team of MES Technicians while owning the reliability, maintenance, and day-to-day optimization of our mission-critical factory software suite. As an operations-focused leader, you will serve as the essential "Business Translator" between the manufacturing floor and our core development engineering teams. You will partner cross-functionally with Controls and SCADA Sustaining squads to triage complex technical handshakes, ensuring Form Factory 1 maintains peak throughput. You will balance immediate floor-level troubleshooting with long-term continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging hard-won wisdom to build optimization tools and mentor a high-performing technical team. Relocation assistance is available. WHAT YOU'LL DO: - Lead Floor-Level Software Sustaining: Manage a team of MES Technicians providing day-to-day operational support for the plant software suite (MES, QMS, WMS, ERP) to eliminate data bottlenecks and minimize downtime. - Cross-Functional Triage & Troubleshooting: Partner closely with the Controls, Robotics, and SCADA Sustaining teams to investigate, triage, and resolve complex physical-to-software issues (e.g., PLC-to-MES data handshakes). - Bridge to Core Dev Teams: Collaborate with core software development teams to escalate deep bugs, test patches, and help build/deploy system optimization tools tailored for the production floor. - Operational Alignment: Coordinate daily with Production, Quality, and Warehouse/Logistics teams to ensure the factory software accurately supports smooth, uninterrupted manufacturing workflows. - Continuous Improvement (CI): Utilize feedback from operations, supervisors, and technicians to pinpoint optimization opportunities and execute minor software/configuration adjustments. - Resource & Support Planning: Manage resource scheduling to ensure adequate floor coverage for 24/7 manufacturing operations, establishing a clear escalation path for technical emergencies. - Team Development: Set clear performance goals, provide ongoing feedback, and mentor MES Technicians to elevate their technical troubleshooting capabilities. WHAT YOU'LL BRING: - Hands-on Engineering Context: 6+ years of hands-on experience troubleshooting industrial automation, manufacturing execution systems, or plant software environments. - People Management: 2+ years of experience hiring, leading, and developing a team of technicians or technical specialists. - Communication Style: Strong cross-functional communication skills with a proven track record of acting as a translator between operations teams and core developers. - Industrial Software & Data Expertise: Proven ability to maintain and manage enterprise scale software products and troubleshooting cross-system transactions. - Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or equivalent practical, hands-on experience. - Environment: Extensive experience working directly on a fast-paced manufacturing floor alongside operators and maintenance teams. 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 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