Vice President of Manufacturing

About Us

Every day shows the increasing effects of climate change and the need for low-cost, reliable, and clean energy sources. Solar and wind are now more economic than fossil fuels. The challenge is affordable energy storage. An electrical grid powered by renewables requires massive investments in energy storage technologies. Lithium-ion batteries have been deployed on the grid, but the world needs solutions that are lower cost with longer lifetime and better safety, and which are not limited by raw materials availability and foreign supply chains.

At Inlyte, we are driven by a deep-seated hope based on human potential. Our team is transforming the proven sodium metal halide battery technology into a solution to meet the climate crisis today. Made of iron and sodium, our grid batteries are built from naturally abundant and inexpensive raw materials. Proven benefits include:

• Environmentally-friendly materials without supply chain constraints
• Low cost materials and manufacturing
• Safe, durable in extreme temperatures, long-lifetime, with high round-trip efficiency

Inlyte Energy is backed by top tier climate VCs along with large industrial strategic investors and includes the pioneers and world experts on sodium metal halide batteries on its team.

Role and Responsibilities

Inlyte Energy is planning to break ground on its first large scale factory in 2025. We are looking for a hands-on manufacturing leader who will lead the charge in the buildout of this factory. This is an opportunity to scale a technology backed by 40 years of research (by our UK subsidiary Beta Research) to shape the electrical grid of tomorrow.

This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer. We have a preference for Bay Area candidates but are open to US remote workers; the role will require travel to the UK as well as substantial time spent at factory sites. As VP of Manufacturing you will:

• Help make process decisions for the first factory - Our technical team has experience with sodium metal halide battery production, and you will join to help balance implementation risk, cost, and other factors in making the final production process decisions.
• Develop sourcing capability - Connect with vendors, put out RFQ/RFPs for equipment and negotiate pricing and supply agreements for both capex equipment and sourced commodities.
• Lead selection of first factory site – Inlyte Energy is considering multiple sites in the United States. Lead the decision-making process, taking into account factory economics and strategic planning.
• Develop equipment commissioning & line bring up plan - Work with existing manufacturing engineering team to develop the equipment commissioning and line bring up plan.
• Develop factory ramp plan - Be able to develop a credible plan to ramp the first factory to scale that can be presented to investors and debt providers.
• Do all these things before hiring the team that will execute the above plans - Be hands on in the early phases advancing plans in each category before hiring out the team to broadly execute the plans.

Minimum Requirements

• Large scale battery manufacturing experience.
• Can be hands-on with sourcing, manufacturing engineering, and plant bring-up.
• Has hired and built effective teams.
• Deep understanding and applied experience of Lean Manufacturing, flow management, Six Sigma.
• Financial & Strategic Acumen - knows how to manage P&L responsibility, capex planning, and ROI as well as cash payback.
• Effective communicator.
• Ability to travel to our UK site and future factory sites.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a dynamic start-up environment.
• A good listener with integrity and humility. A champion of our Practices of Safety, Determination, Teamwork, Humility, Joy.

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in multiple manufacturing processes and technologies, particularly ceramic pressing and firing, automated battery cell and module assembly, and large-scale automation.
• Experience working with both ceramic and battery supply chain providers.
• Experience implementing MRP/MES and PLM.
• Experience with manufacturing site selection.

Benefits

• Generous incentive stock plan
• Excellent medical, vision, and dental insurance and short term disability
• Sick time off
• Unlimited PTO
• Compensation range for Bay Area (adjusted for other locations): $201K-278K depending on qualifications and experience

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive community. We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all of the qualifications.