Offgrid Energy Labs
VP / Head - Manufacturing Operations
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Offgrid Energy Labs
Offgrid Energy Labs is a deep-science, IP-led startup commercialising ZincGel™ – a breakthrough zinc-bromide electrolyte technology for long-duration energy storage (LDES). With 60+ IP assets across six jurisdictions and roots in research at IIT Kanpur, Offgrid is building the world’s first dedicated ZincGel manufacturing facility in Hook, Hampshire, scheduled for inauguration in July 2026. The company operates across India, the UK, and the US, with a licensing-led global scaling model.
The Role
This is the single most important operational hire at Offgrid in 2026. ZincGel batteries have never been manufactured at scale. The person who fills this role will define how they are built – and will write the manufacturing playbook that scales from Hook’s pilot line to multi-GWh giga-factories worldwide.
You will carry four interlocking mandates:
- Perfect the Process: Take ZincGel from R&D hand-off to repeatable, high-yield production. Own cell assembly, electrolyte management, sealing, testing, and quality end-to-end.
- Build the Playbook: Codify every learning into a transferable manufacturing operations manual – the IP backbone for Offgrid’s 1 GWh facilities and licensee-run manufacturing globally.
- Architect the Ecosystem: Build a resilient global supplier and partner network across the UK, India, and beyond for raw materials, precision tooling, automation, and contract manufacturing.
- Build the Team & Drive Cost Down: Recruit and lead a manufacturing engineering team that continuously innovates to reduce unit costs and improve cell performance, working hand-in-glove with R&D.
Key Responsibilities
Manufacturing Setup & Scaling
- Take the Hook facility from commissioning to operational production; greenfield execution experience essential.
- Partner with R&D on Design for Manufacturing/Assembly (DFM/DFA) to optimise battery design for automated assembly.
- Implement automation and robotics: high-speed pick-and-place, precision laser work, automated testing systems.
- Design production floor layout with appropriate environmental controls (cascading pressure, humidity, chemical safety).
- Manage equipment procurement ($10M+ RFP processes) for custom assembly machines and chemical-resistant piping.
- Establish OEE-driven, data-intensive approach to minimising downtime in a 24/7 environment.
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Advanced Multi-Component Molding
- Lead 2K (two-shot) molding and insert/overmolding for hermetic sealing and conductive collector integration.
- Manage complex tooling strategy for multi-million-unit annual volumes – rotary/index-plate molds, cycle time optimisation.
Supply Chain & Compliance
- Source high-purity chemicals, chemically resistant polymers, and specialty materials at scale across multiple geographies.
- Manage UK/EU regulatory compliance: UK REACH, COSHH, and relevant environmental standards.
- Incorporate Design for Disassembly and circular economy principles into every product.
Quality & Licensee Enablement
- Build end-to-end quality systems: inbound material integrity (ICP-OES testing), statistical process control, in-line and end-of-line validation.
- Establish and run a supplier audit programme across all tiers.
- Document all processes into a comprehensive, transferable ZincGel Manufacturing Playbook for licensee partners.
Who You Are
Must-Have
- A first-principles manufacturing thinker. You solve problems that don’t have playbooks yet. Preferably in battery, electrochemical, polymer, fuel cell, or advanced materials manufacturing.
- A 0→1→10 builder. You’ve personally taken at least one manufacturing operation from inception (or near-inception) to volume production. You’re comfortable with chaos and disciplined enough to systematise.
- Technically deep. You can engage at the level of electrode chemistry, electrolyte handling, sealing materials, and automation integration – not just factory management.
- Startup-minded. You’re willing to take a calculated bet on a pre-revenue deep-tech company. You thrive in ambiguity, move fast, and take ownership.
- A collaborative operator. ZincGel’s manufacturing process is being co-created with R&D in real time. You bridge science and production.
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Strong-to-Have
- 15–25 years of progressive manufacturing experience, with 5+ years in senior leadership (VP/Director of Manufacturing, Plant Head).
- Direct experience in lithium-ion, zinc-based, or flow battery manufacturing.
- Track record in greenfield factory commissioning across multiple geographies.
- Familiarity with UK/EU regulatory frameworks (REACH, COSHH, CE/UKCA).
- Exposure to licensing or contract manufacturing models.
- Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or TQM in a high-mix to high-volume transition environment.
Education
- Bachelor’s or Master’s in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrochemistry, or a related field. PhD is a plus but not required – practical depth outweighs academic credentials.
Why Offgrid
- Career-defining opportunity: You’ll be the person who figured out how to manufacture a fundamentally new battery technology. That’s a legacy.
- Deep-science, IP-led company: 60+ patents, technology incubated at IIT Kanpur, with real differentiation – not just another cell assembly operation.
- Global scale from day one: The playbook you write at Hook will be deployed across India, the UK, and through licensee partners worldwide.
- Meaningful equity: Compensation is structured with significant equity participation, reflecting the impact this role will have on the company’s trajectory.
- Founder-grade team: Work directly with the CTO and co-founders in a flat, high-trust environment where your decisions shape the company.
How to Apply
Send your CV and a brief note on why this role excites you to careers@offgridenergylabs.com. If you know someone who fits, referrals are warmly welcomed. We review applications on a rolling basis and aim to move fast.
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