R&D Production Manager

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

Every day shows the increasing need for low-cost, reliable, and safe energy sources. Solar and wind are now the most economic sources of electricity. 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 chloride battery technology into a solution to meet the energy needs of today. Made of iron and salt, our energy storage systems are built from naturally abundant and inexpensive raw materials. Proven benefits include:

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

Inlyte Energy is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and operates a pilot R&D and manufacturing facility in the UK. We are backed by top tier VCs along with large industrial strategic investors and have a team that includes the original pioneers and leading world experts on sodium metal chloride batteries.

Role and Responsibilities

We are looking for an R&D Production Manager to lead and expand production operations across our two pilot battery manufacturing and development facilities in Burton-on-Trent, UK. In this role, you will balance the facility's dual objectives of scaling up the production of high quality energy storage systems to support customer projects and supporting R&D of novel designs and processes at pilot scale. This is a once-in-a-career opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation and commercialisation of a technology backed by 40+ years of research that will shape the electrical grid of tomorrow.

This position reports to the VP of Engineering. This role is on-site 5 days per week and requires travel between our two sites in Burton (the company will reimburse mileage). For this role you will:

• Oversee day-to-day battery production at both sites, ensuring output meets targets on cost, quality, safety, and delivery for demo systems.
• Supervise, train, and motivate a production team of 10-40 technicians across both sites, driving Inlyte's Practices of Safety, Determination, Teamwork, Humility, and Joy.
• Implement and maintain rigorous quality standards (QA/QC), especially for demo units, while allowing process and operational flexibility for R&D activities to accommodate new designs, materials, and methodologies.
• Develop and manage production schedules, resource allocation, and shift planning across sites, factoring in parallel R&D and demo unit production priorities.
• Manage inventory and material purchases to ensure continuous operation.
• Liaise closely with engineering teams to translate new concepts, quality measures, and designs into scalable production processes.
• Monitor productivity, throughput, and process reliability, troubleshooting bottlenecks and identifying opportunities for lean improvements. Lead RCCA for quality issues.
• Drive digitization and rigorous documentation of procedures and quality methods, and transfer knowledge to manufacturing teams to support subsequent scale up to GWh production at Inlyte's upcoming US factory.
• Support the implementation of an MES/ERP system for the pilot facilities.
• Manage health and safety compliance of production teams, maintenance, and readiness of production equipment, addressing facility needs at both sites.
• Prepare and deliver regular production and performance reports to senior management, highlighting risks, achievements, and investment needs.

Minimum Requirements

• 5+ years experience as a Production Manager or in a senior manufacturing role, ideally in energy technologies or advanced materials.
• Proven track record of managing and/or scaling production lines, technology transfer, and rapid iteration in an innovation-driven environment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and balance competing R&D and production priorities at pilot scale or beyond.
• Exceptional organisational skills and the ability to manage multi-site operations and cross-functional teams.
• Effective communicator and a good listener with integrity.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a dynamic startup environment.

Preferred Requirements

• Strong technical background in energy technologies (batteries, fuel cells, etc.) or advanced materials.
• Degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline.
• Experience implementing and/or managing manufacturing execution systems (MES).
• Strong data management skills with a focus on SPC.
• Experience with 5S, GMP, and/or Lean Manufacturing principles.

Benefits

• Incentive stock options based on San Francisco Bay Area comps
• 25 days paid leave annually plus bank holidays
• 8 weeks paid sick time and 5 days paid bereavement leave
• 3% pension contribution

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.

"Inlyte Energy" is a trading name of Beta Research Ltd, registered in England with company number 10007548 and registered address at Celixir House Stratford Business & Technology Park, Innovation Way, Banbury Road, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, CV37 7GZ.