Senior Mechanical Engineer

Elevated Materials is at the forefront of lithium battery technology, revolutionizing energy storage by enabling dramatically better battery performance. Elevated Materials’ ultra-thin lithium films increase energy density by 30-70%, extend battery life up to 3x, and enable significantly faster charging times. This technology is used for all lithium-ion battery applications, including electric vehicles, aviation, consumer electronics, and grid storage. Currently in the commercialization stage with R&D and manufacturing in the Bay Area and Germany, Elevated Materials is poised to make a significant impact in the global battery industry.

As an independent entity spun out of Applied Materials and co-owned with TPG, Elevated Materials’ mission is to accelerate the clean energy revolution, driving universal adoption and a more sustainable future.

We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer with 5–10 years of experience designing, integrating, and supporting evaporation, sputtering, and treatment modules within vacuum chamber systems, with a strong emphasis on plasma-based processes. In this highly hands‑on role, you will partner closely with process engineers to develop and scale advanced thin‑film materials for next‑generation battery manufacturing. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in RF/DC power delivery, vacuum systems, sputtering cathodes, thermal systems, and roll‑to‑roll system integration in production environments.

• Design, specify, and improve plasma sources for PVD deposition and surface treatments of web‑based substrates for R2R vacuum systems.
• Design, specify and improve evaporation sources for high temperature processing.
• Design, specify and improve temperature monitoring and control for optimal film performance.
• Support mechanical and electrical integration into roll‑to‑roll vacuum systems.
• Working closely with the suppliers in development of cathodes and power supplies.
• Support new tool builds, installations, FAT/SAT, and commissioning.
• Work closely with external vendors on:
• Hardware specifications and design reviews.
• Custom cathodes, power supplies and vacuum components.
• Tool upgrades and retrofits.
• Support scale‑up from R&D tools to pilot and high‑volume manufacturing platforms.

Collaborate with:

• Process engineering on hardware optimization.
• Controls/software teams on user interface, interlocks and safety.
• Manufacturing and operations teams for scaling to production.
• Provide hardware input during process transfer and yield improvement initiatives.

• Experience designing and developing thin‑film deposition equipment for battery, semiconductor, or solar applications.
• Fluency in 3D CAD design environments such as Creo/ProE, NX, or Solid Works.
• Strong hands‑on experience with PVD sources and vacuum system design.
• Ability to work independently on complex hardware systems.

• Hands‑on experience with CAE modeling for flow and thermal module design.
• Proven experience in roll‑to‑roll PVD system design.
• Extensive experience operating in high‑uptime manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with phased product development methodologies.
• Strong understanding of suppliers for vacuum chambers, power supplies, and supporting components.

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in PVD sputtering and thermal evaporation equipment development, including related vacuum and plasma source hardware integration.
• 5+ years of experience 3D CAD design using Creo ProE, NX or Solid Works.
• Strong knowledge of dimensioning and tolerancing principles.

Up to 10-15 % of the time as required.

The base salary range for this position is $147,500 - $185,000 per year, which represents the low and high end of the salary range for this exempt position. The exact salary offered will depend on experience. The total rewards package will also include company equity and an annual discretionary bonus.

• Insurance:
  Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage.
• Tax Savings…