About Redwood Materials
Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by JB Straubel, co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, on a simple but radical idea: the critical minerals powering the energy transition already exist. They just need to come back. Today Redwood is the largest lithium-ion battery recycler in North America — recovering, refining, and redeploying critical minerals from end-of-life batteries back into the supply chain. On the energy side, Redwood has deployed the largest second-life battery project in the world, delivering power to AI data centers in months rather than years using proprietary energy architecture engineered entirely in-house. The company is profitable, the market it operates in is projected to grow 20 to 50 times over the next decade, and Redwood is the only company with the supply chain, the technology, and the operational scale to lead it.
Supervisor Responsibility:
This role provides technical guidance, training, and mentorship to Battery Disassembly Technicians on the floor. It does not have hiring, firing, or performance review authority; it is an individual contributor position, not a people-management role.
Position Summary:
Redwood Materials is seeking a Lead Battery Disassembly Technician to perform the full scope of safe, efficient, and high-quality disassembly of EV battery packs and modules within a high-volume manufacturing environment, while serving as the floor-level subject matter expert and trainer for the team. The position requires strict adherence to high-voltage safety protocols, standardized work instructions, and continuous process improvement, and is responsible for training and mentoring technicians, verifying the quality and safety of completed work, and escalating non-routine issues to Supervision and Engineering. The Lead also monitors day-to-day compliance with floor conduct standards — including break/lunch adherence and personal device use — and serves as the floor-level point of contact for operational questions when Supervision or Management is offsite, escalating any issue outside established procedure. This is an individual contributor role that does not carry formal hiring, firing, or performance management authority.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Leadership, Training & Mentorship:
- • Serve as the floor-level subject matter expert on disassembly procedures, high-voltage safety, LOTO, and rigging/lifting operations.
- Train, mentor, and onboard new and existing technicians on standardized work instructions, safety protocols, and proper use of tools and material handling equipment.
- Verify the quality, safety, and completeness of teammates' disassembly and rigging work, and coach corrective action where gaps are identified.
- Monitors adherence to floor conduct standards (behavioral etiquette, break/lunch scheduling, personal device use) and escalates repeated or serious violations to Supervision.
- Acts as the floor-level point of contact for routine operational questions when Supervision or Management is offsite, escalating decisions outside standard procedure.
EV Battery Pack & Module Disassembly:
- • Perform controlled disassembly of EV and stationary storage battery packs, modules, and subcomponents in accordance with established work instructions and safety procedures.
- Safely isolate, and when deemed necessary, de-energize and verify absence of voltage prior to handling high-voltage systems.
- Disassemble battery systems down to module and component level, including removal of BMS components, wiring harnesses, busbars, cooling systems, and structural elements.
- Identify, sort, and route components for reuse, recycling, or disposal in alignment with production and environmental standards.
- Handle lithium-ion battery materials, including damaged or degraded units, using approved containment and safety methods.
- Serve as the escalation point for non-routine or first-time disassembly scenarios, providing hands-on guidance to less experienced technicians.
High Voltage Safety & Material Handling:
- • Strictly follow all high-voltage safety protocols, lockout/tagout (LOTO), and PPE requirements when working with energized or potentially energized systems.
- Utilize appropriate insulated tools and electrical testing equipment (e.g., multimeters) to verify system status.
- Safely transport and store battery packs, modules, and hazardous materials using approved material handling equipment.
- Respond to thermal, electrical, or chemical hazards in accordance with emergency procedures and EHS guidelines.
- Must meet all requirements for use of a full-face respirator, including medical clearance and fit testing, in accordance with OSHA and company standards.
- Audit teammates’ adherence to high-voltage safety protocols, LOTO, and PPE requirements, and coach corrective action on any gaps.
Production Operations & Process Flow
- • Execute standardized work in a high-throughput production environment, meeting or exceeding daily and hourly disassembly targets.
- Maintain workflow efficiency by adhering to takt time, minimizing bottlenecks, and supporting continuous flow operations.
- Track and document production output, material disposition, and process data accurately within required systems (e.g., Excel, in house tracking).
- Identify process inefficiencies and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives to optimize safety, quality, and throughput.
- Lead root-cause discussions on throughput, quality, or safety misses and drive corrective actions with supervision and Engineering.
Tooling & Technical Skills:
- • Utilize a range of hand tools, power tools, and electrical diagnostic equipment in a safe and effective manner.
- Demonstrate working knowledge of mechanical fastening systems, electrical connections, and component-level disassembly techniques.
- Perform basic electrical verification and troubleshooting as needed during disassembly operations.
- Maintain tools and equipment in proper working conditions and report any deficiencies.
- Train technicians on proper tool use, mechanical fastening systems, electrical diagnostic equipment, and component-level disassembly techniques.
Cross-Functional Support & Field Operations:
- • Collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, EHS, and Maintenance teams to improve disassembly processes and safety controls.
- Support field operations as required (up to 10% travel) for battery system decommissioning, including on-site disassembly and material recovery.
- Work with internal and external teams to safely process large-scale energy storage systems in non-production environments.
- Act as the team’s primary point of contact for Manufacturing, Engineering, EHS, and Maintenance on process and safety improvements, and represent the technician team in cross-functional planning.
Rigging, Lifting & Heavy Material Handling:
- • Perform rigging and controlled lifting of large-format EV battery packs and energy storage systems using approved lifting devices and techniques.
- Operate a variety of material handling equipment, including forklifts (sit-down, stand-up, pallet jacks), hoists, cranes, and other lifting apparatus to safely move high-voltage assemblies.
- Inspect rigging equipment (slings, chains, shackles, lifting fixtures) prior to use and ensure compliance with established safety standards and load ratings.
- Execute lifts in accordance with defined rigging plans, center-of-gravity considerations, and facility safety procedures to prevent load shift or damage.
- Coordinate with team members during lifts to ensure safe positioning, communication, and control of suspended loads.
- Prior rigging and heavy material handling experience is strongly preferred; however, training and certification will be provided for candidates with foundational mechanical aptitude.
- Review and sign off on rigging plans and lift execution for complex or high-risk lifts, and certify newly trained technicians on rigging fundamentals.
General Manufacturing Expectations:
- • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment in alignment with 5S standards.
- Perform repetitive physical tasks, including lifting 30–50 lbs and standing for extended periods (up to 12-hour shifts).
- Operate material handling equipment and mechanical lifts (training provided).
- Adapt to dynamic work conditions, including indoor and outdoor environments and varying temperatures.
- Ensure shift readiness through proper workstation setup, organization, and handoff communication.
- Model shift-readiness and 5S standards for the team, and coach less experienced technicians on workstation organization and handoff communication.
Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:
- 4-6 years of battery disassembly or related high-voltage/mechanical experience, with demonstrated proficiency across all disassembly work instructions.
- Demonstrated ability to train, coach, and explain technical procedures to technicians at varying skill levels.
- Requirements to participate high voltage training and certifications.
- Operate a variety of material handling equipment and mechanical lifts (training provided).
- Perform repetitive lifting (30-50lbs) and support ergonomic and 5S improvement initiatives.
- Ensure shift readiness by preparing and organizing workstations for incoming teams.
- Thrive in dynamic environments, including outdoor and variable-temperature conditions.
- Ability to travel up to 10% of the time to support field decommissioning work, including guiding technicians through unfamiliar, on-site scenarios.
- Strong communication skills for shift handoffs, cross-functional coordination, and technical escalation to supervision and Engineering.
- Stand and perform physical tasks for the majority of a 12-hour shift in both indoor and outdoor environments.
The position is full-time. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.
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