Job Opening: Equipment and Facilities Technician

Sparkz Inc., is looking to hire an Equipment and Facilities Technician at their Sacramento, California location. Posted October 27, 2025.

Department: Engineering / Maintenance / Manufacturing Operations
Reports To: Equipment/ Facilities Manager/ Plant Manager

Position Overview:

We are seeking a detail-oriented and highly skilled Equipment and Facilities Technician with 5-10 years of technical experience. Candidates with a background in process engineering or manufacturing from either the chemical (paints, solvents, lubricants, dyes), food processing, or petrochemical industries are preferred. The ideal candidate will be responsible for the installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance of process equipment to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient lithium ion battery cathode material production operations. This role plays a key part in sustaining production capabilities, minimizing downtime, and ensuring regulatory compliance and demands an accomplished engineering professional with a track record of success across projects in product development, testing, and commissioning.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead installation, commissioning, and start-up activities for new and modified equipment.
  • Collaborate with process, maintenance, and reliability teams to troubleshoot and resolve equipment and process issues.
  • Manage equipment maintenance strategies and predictive/preventive maintenance programs.
  • Identify and implement process and equipment improvements to increase safety, reduce waste, improve efficiency, and lower operational costs.
  • Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards (e.g., OSHA, EPA, FDA, USDA, NFPA).
  • Maintain accurate equipment documentation, including datasheets, drawings (P&IDs), SOPs, and maintenance records.
  • Support capital projects from conception through implementation, working closely with vendors, contractors, and project teams.
  • Perform root cause analysis (RCA) of equipment failures and implement corrective and preventive actions.

Required Qualifications:

  • 5–10 years of equipment and/or facilities experience in a chemical, food processing, or petrochemical environment.
  • Strong knowledge of rotating and static equipment and their applications in process industries.
  • Familiarity with industry standards and best practices (ASME, API, ANSI, PSM, etc.).
  • Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with hazardous materials, flammable substances, or sanitary design standards.
  • Experience working in regulated environments with a strong commitment to safety and compliance.
  • Proficiency in equipment design tools and software (e.g., AutoCAD, SolidWorks, CMMS systems).
  • Understanding of automation and control systems (PLC/SCADA) as they relate to equipment operation.
  • Familiar with regulatory and compliance considerations in utility operations and infrastructure upgrades.

Working Conditions:

  • Split between office and manufacturing plant environment.
  • May require occasional travel to vendor sites or other facilities.
  • Use of PPE is required in certain areas of the plant.

Sparkz is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Sparkz is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation: $26–$33 per hour depending on experience.

At-Will Employment

Employment with Sparkz is at-will, meaning either the employee or the company may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice.

Please Note

  • All job offers are subject to pre-employment drug screening and a background check since this is a safety sensitive position.
  • Unless otherwise noted, we do not sponsor employees for work authorization in the U.S. for this position.

Notice to Agencies: We only accept resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing services if a Service Agreement has been signed and we have requested recruitment/staffing services for the specific position. Any unsolicited resumes will become the property of the company, and no fees or compensation will be paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or staffing service.

To Apply Email Resume and Cover Letter to HR@sparkz.energy

Founder & CEO

Dr. Sanjiv Malhotra

Dr. Sanjiv Malhotra is the founder and CEO of Sparkz—the battery start-up reinventing the energy supply chain.

 

Malhotra has been a leader in the energy sector for nearly three decades as a founder, investor and executive. Most recently, he served as the inaugural director for the Energy Investor Center at the U.S Department of Energy (DOE), serving under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

 

At DOE, Malhotra led the Obama Administration’s initiative to boost public-private partnerships to accelerate the commercialization of technologies developed in national research centers like Oak Ridge National Labs.

 

Malhotra was recruited to the Department of Energy after a successful exit of Oorja Protonics—the world leader in methanol fuel cells—which he founded and led as CEO for 10 years. Oorja raised $50 Million in equity financing from leading VCs such as Sequoia, DAG Ventures, Artis Capital and others during his tenure. He boosted Oorja’s revenue and profitability growth, while expanding operations globally in Japan, China, South Africa, Mexico, and India.

 

Oorja was acquired in 2014 by the Private Equity firm MinXing Growth Fund.

 

As an investor and consultant, Malhotra has worked at leading venture capital firms, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers as an advisor on clean energy and advanced materials.

 

Earlier in his career, Malhotra led the engineering and product development team at H Power, a pioneer in hydrogen fuel cells. As part of the management team, he managed the successful IPO, which raised more than $100 million in August 2000.

 

He began his career as a post-doctoral fellow at the renowned Lawrence Berkeley National Labs on electrochemical storage systems. Dr. Malhotra has authored seven patents and more than 40 publications in various fields of energy storage technology and materials. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering and an M.B.A from University of Iowa.