Application Guide

How to Apply for Staff Software Engineer, Data Platform

at Form Energy

🏢 About Form Energy

Form Energy is revolutionizing long-duration energy storage with its innovative iron-air battery technology, aiming to create a reliable 100% renewable electric grid. The company has received prestigious recognition from TIME, MIT Technology Review, and Fast Company, and is at a pivotal scaling moment with manufacturing underway in West Virginia and contracts with major U.S. utilities.

About This Role

As a Staff Software Engineer on the Data Platform team, you'll build and scale the data infrastructure that supports Form Energy's energy storage technology and manufacturing operations. This role is critical for enabling data-driven decisions across battery performance analysis, grid reliability modeling, and production optimization.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve designing scalable data pipelines for manufacturing sensor data, collaborating with battery engineers on data requirements for performance analysis, and improving data platform reliability to support grid modeling simulations. You'll balance technical leadership on platform architecture with hands-on coding and cross-functional collaboration.

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🎯 Who Form Energy Is Looking For

  • Experienced in designing and implementing scalable data platforms (likely with technologies like Spark, Kafka, Airflow, or cloud data warehouses) for complex physical systems or manufacturing environments
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects and mentor engineers while collaborating with cross-functional teams including hardware engineers, data scientists, and operations
  • Passionate about climate tech and mission-driven work, with interest in how data infrastructure supports renewable energy adoption and grid reliability
  • Strong understanding of data governance, quality, and reliability practices for mission-critical systems where data accuracy directly impacts energy storage performance

📝 Tips for Applying to Form Energy

1

Highlight specific experience with data platforms supporting physical systems, manufacturing, or energy infrastructure—not just web or consumer applications

2

Quantify your impact on previous data platform projects, especially those involving scale, reliability improvements, or cross-team collaboration

3

Research Form Energy's iron-air battery technology and mention how your data platform experience could support battery performance analysis or manufacturing optimization

4

Connect your technical experience to Form Energy's mission—explain why you want to apply data engineering skills to climate technology specifically

5

If you have experience with time-series data, sensor data, or IoT data streams, emphasize this as it's highly relevant to battery and grid monitoring

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your experience building data platforms for complex physical systems or manufacturing environments', "How your technical leadership aligns with Form Energy's scaling phase and manufacturing expansion", "Specific examples of how you've improved data reliability or scalability in previous roles", 'Your motivation to contribute to renewable energy adoption and grid reliability through data infrastructure']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Form Energy's iron-air battery technology and how it differs from lithium-ion batteries
  • → The company's manufacturing facility in West Virginia and recent utility partnerships
  • → Challenges of long-duration energy storage for renewable grid integration
  • → Form Energy's core values (humanity, excellence, creativity) and how they manifest in their work

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Designing a data platform to handle time-series data from thousands of battery cells across multiple manufacturing facilities
2 Approaches to ensuring data quality and reliability for systems that inform grid operations and battery performance
3 Experience with data governance in regulated or mission-critical environments
4 Strategies for scaling data infrastructure during rapid company growth and manufacturing expansion
5 Collaboration with hardware teams and data scientists to build effective data products
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on web or consumer data experience without connecting it to physical systems or manufacturing
  • Generic statements about wanting to work in 'tech' rather than specifically in climate tech or renewable energy
  • Failing to demonstrate understanding of how data platforms support real-world operations and decision-making

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Form Energy!

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