Automation Manager

Automation Manager

The Automation Manager is responsible for building and leading the automation and controls infrastructure that keeps Peak Energy's sodium-ion battery manufacturing facility running at full capacity, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across a 4‑shift operation. This role is both strategic and deeply technical: you'll have direct input into the architecture of our control systems, hire and develop a team of Controls Engineers and Technicians, participate in the acquisition and commissioning of new industrial manufacturing equipment, and create the operational procedures that ensure rapid, reliable response when systems need attention.

Our Sacramento manufacturing facility is in the planning and build‑out phase. This person will be hired to help open it. That means participating in equipment design reviews and international Factory Acceptance Tests as manufacturing equipment is selected and commissioned, and building the controls team, procedures, and documentation standards the facility will run on from day one. There is no existing playbook to inherit;

this person will write it.

This role requires someone who is comfortable operating at both the technical and organizational level: debugging a control system issue and then writing the procedure that prevents the next one.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the controls and automation function for Peak Energy’s Sacramento manufacturing facility, maintaining system uptime across a 24/7, 4‑shift production schedule
• Participate in design reviews for the acquisition of industrial manufacturing equipment, providing critical input on automation architecture, PLC platform compatibility, and control system specifications
• Lead and participate in international Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) for newly acquired industrial manufacturing equipment, ensuring systems meet Peak Energy’s requirements before shipment and installation
• Build, hire, and develop a team of Controls Engineers and Controls Technicians (712 team members) sized and structured to support continuous 4‑shift, 24/7 operations
• Define and own shift coverage models, escalation protocols, and response procedures; create all documentation governing how the controls team responds to automation issues at any hour
• Establish and maintain PLC architecture standards across the facility, with Beckhoff TwinCAT as the primary platform
• Design and implement connectivity between PLCs and MES systems to enable real‑time production data, traceability, and process monitoring. Evaluate the existing architecture implemented at Peak’s Burlingame manufacturing facility and incorporate applicable elements where appropriate.
• Create, maintain, and continuously improve all automation documentation: control system designs, change management procedures, operator manuals, and maintenance protocols
• Collaborate with equipment engineers, process engineers, and manufacturing leadership to ensure automation systems align with production goals and support ramp objectives
• Own controls and automation KPIs: system uptime, mean time to repair (MTTR), alarm rationalization, and preventive maintenance compliance
• Establish and enforce safety standards for control systems, including emergency shutdown procedures, safety interlocks, and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements
• Identify and drive continuous improvement opportunities in automation that reduce manual intervention, improve yield, and increase throughput

What You’ll Bring

• Minimum 5 years of experience managing Controls Engineers in an industrial manufacturing environment, with a track record of building and developing high‑performing teams
• Hands‑on technical experience with Beckhoff PLCs and TwinCAT v3; comfortable writing code and assessing the code of others
• Demonstrated experience establishing connectivity between PLC/SCADA systems and MES platforms for production traceability and real‑time data acquisition
• Direct experience participating in equipment design reviews and Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs), including international travel to vendor facilities
• Proficiency with SCADA systems, HMI design, and industrial data acquisition platforms
• Proven…