Automation Technician

Role: Automation Technician
Location: Sacramento, CA
Department: Manufacturing Operations
Position: Full Time

Peak Energy Technologies is the first American venture to advance globally proven Sodium-Ion battery systems as the storage standard for the new era of renewable energy on a resilient grid. We're a team of about 105 today, growing rapidly as we move from pilot through commercial scale-up. Our leadership team brings decades of experience from Tesla, Northvolt, Apple, Powin, and Enovix, and we are backed by Xora, Eclipse Ventures, and TDK Ventures.

We are looking for an Automation Technician to join our Manufacturing team at our Sacramento facility, supporting Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) manufacturing automation. This role starts by helping build out automation equipment — mounting valves and sensors, running cable, and wiring field devices back to power distribution panels — before shifting into a sustaining role keeping that equipment running in full production: the first call when automated equipment goes down, and a technical mentor to a second technician.

The right person is a seasoned, hands‑on technician who is equally comfortable building a new automation cell and troubleshooting one under production pressure, knows when a problem is theirs to fix versus Controls/Automation Engineering's, and documents either outcome clearly. Peak Energy is planning a two‑shift manufacturing operation; this role covers a single shift and coordinates with the opposing‑shift technician to keep automation running on both shifts.

• Build and install automation equipment: mount and align valves, actuators, and sensors; run cable and conduit; and terminate field wiring back to power distribution panels per mechanical and electrical drawings — comfortable around both 24
  
  VDC control power and 480
  
  VAC three‑phase machine supply distribution
• Commission new equipment: perform point‑to‑point IO checks and loop checks, diagnose and resolve network connectivity issues, assign and configure device IP addresses, and flash and update PLC and device firmware
• Respond to down equipment: serve as first responder to automation failures on your shift, diagnose root cause using PLC, HMI, and network diagnostics, and restore equipment to production as quickly and safely as possible
• Escalate and document: document equipment assessments, repairs, and downtime root cause, and elevate issues beyond technician scope to Controls/Automation Engineering with clear, actionable handoff notes
• Guide a second technician: provide day‑to‑day work direction, technical mentorship, and onthe‑job training to a second Automation Technician on shift, ensuring consistent troubleshooting practices across shifts
• Support preventive maintenance: perform and help develop PM routines for PLC I/O modules, sensors, servo/VFD drives, and pneumatic/hydraulic components to reduce unplanned downtime
• Follow safety procedures: apply lockout/tagout (LOTO), arc flash, and NFPA 70E electrical safety practices, and maintain safety interlocks and emergency stop circuits on automated equipment
• Track spares and work orders: maintain critical spare parts inventory and log work orders, downtime, and repairs in the CMMS; support commissioning and FAT/SAT activities alongside Engineering

• 15+ years of hands‑on experience as an Automation, Controls, or Electrical Technician in an industrial or manufacturing environment, spanning both equipment build/installation and sustaining production support
• Working knowledge of PLC‑based control systems (e.g., Beckhoff TwinCAT, Allen‑Bradley, or Siemens), including IO troubleshooting, network diagnostics, and basic program monitoring/forcing
• Comfortable working safely…