Equipment Engineer
Location: San Jose, CA
Reports to: Head of Equipment & Facilities Engineering
Key Partners: Manufacturing Engineering, Technology (R&D), Quality, Operations, Facilities/Maintenance
About Ensurge Micropower
Ensurge Micropower (OSE: ENSU) is a pioneer in solid-state microbattery technology, enabling the next generation of intelligent, connected devices. Leveraging proprietary thin-film and roll-to-roll manufacturing, Ensurge delivers safe, high-energy-density batteries for applications in wearables, health tech, industrial sensing, and defense. Headquartered in San Jose with a growing global footprint across the U.S. and Europe, Ensurge is redefining what's possible in powering AI at the edge.
As Ensurge transitions from technology development into disciplined pilot manufacturing and scale, equipment reliability and readiness become mission-critical differentiators.
Role Overview
Ensurge is seeking an Equipment Engineer (IC) to support the engineering, qualification, and readiness of manufacturing equipment across process, assembly, and facilities-adjacent infrastructure.
Reporting to the Head of Equipment & Facilities Engineering, this role focuses on getting tools qualified, integrated, and production-ready — partnering closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Technology (R&D), and Operations to ensure equipment matches process requirements and supports the line as it scales from pilot to production.
This is a mid-level individual contributor role: standard business hours, with occasional hands-on floor support when equipment issues require direct engineering involvement. A strong electrical background is a priority for this role — much of the troubleshooting, controls work, and equipment integration involved is electrical in nature.
Core Ownership Areas
- Process Equipment: Vacuum, deposition, roll-to-roll, and other thin-film production tools
- Assembly & Laser Equipment: Support for cell stacking, bonding, packaging tools, and laser cutting/patterning systems
- Facilities-Adjacent Infrastructure: Utilities, gases, HVAC, and cleanroom systems that support equipment operation
Key Responsibilities
- Lead qualification and acceptance of new and upgraded equipment (FAT/SAT, process acceptance, tool sign-off)
- Define and validate equipment specifications against process requirements, including electrical and controls specifications
- Support installation, startup, and ramp of new tools in partnership with vendors and Manufacturing Engineering
- Own equipment documentation: specs, qualification protocols, acceptance criteria, and change records
- Review and troubleshoot equipment electrical schematics, controls architecture, and wiring during qualification and ramp
Process-Equipment Integration
- Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Technology to match equipment capability to process requirements
- Support tool-side troubleshooting for yield, throughput, and quality issues
- Implement process-driven equipment upgrades and engineering changes
- Evaluate and recommend equipment/process improvements that improve stability, precision, or repeatability
Facilities & Infrastructure Support
- Support the equipment-facing aspects of critical infrastructure — utilities, vacuum, gases, HVAC, and cleanroom systems
- Coordinate with Facilities/Maintenance on installs, upgrades, and equipment hookups
- Flag infrastructure risks or constraints that could affect equipment performance or throughput
Reliability & Maintenance Support
- Support preventive and predictive maintenance planning for owned equipment
- Assist in root cause analysis and corrective action for chronic equipment issues
- Provide engineering-level troubleshooting support for complex or recurring tool issues
- Contribute equipment data and history to CMMS and reliability tracking
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Technology, Quality, and Operations to align equipment plans with production needs
- Support Quality on equipment-related traceability, calibration, and control requirements
- Communicate equipment status, risks, and timelines clearly to stakeholders
Continuous Improvement
- Identify and drive improvements that reduce downtime, improve equipment stability, or increase throughput
- Apply structured problem solving to recurring equipment issues
- Feed lessons learned from pilot equipment into future tool and process designs
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering required — Electrical Engineering strongly preferred; Mechanical, Manufacturing, Chemical, or related field also considered
- Approximately 5–10 years of experience in equipment engineering within semiconductor, battery, thin-film, or other advanced manufacturing environments
- Strong electrical background — comfortable reading electrical schematics and working with equipment controls, instrumentation, sensors, power distribution, and wiring
- Experience with equipment qualification, FAT/SAT, and process-equipment integration
- Hands-on troubleshooting experience directly with equipment, technicians, and operators — including electrical fault diagnosis, not just mechanical
- Working knowledge of maintenance fundamentals (preventive/predictive maintenance, root cause analysis)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with PLCs, controls systems, or industrial automation/electrical integration
- Experience with vacuum systems, deposition tools, or roll-to-roll equipment
- Familiarity with laser processing, micromachining, or precision assembly equipment
- Exposure to cleanroom operations and facility systems supporting equipment (gases, HVAC, vacuum, power distribution)
- Experience with CMMS, equipment data systems, or traceability tools
- Background supporting pilot lines or first-of-kind manufacturing equipment
Personal Attributes
- Hands-on and detail-oriented — comfortable working directly at the tool
- Strong ownership mentality — follows issues through to resolution
- Clear communicator across engineering, operations, and technician teams
- Collaborative and low-ego — works well across functions to get things done
- Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, scaling environment
Salary Range:
$121,500-$150,000
The base salary range is specific to California. The salary of the final candidate selected for this role will be determined by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.
