NextStar Energy starts hiring for battery plant ‘launch team’

NextStar Energy kicked off the hiring process Monday for the 130 new employees to form the Windsor battery plant’s ‘launch team.’

According to a news release, of the positions posted Monday, 30 will be professional staff to launch and grow the business operations, while 100 will be for a team production engineers and technicians.

The team of engineers and technicians will begin an international training program in October, learning how to run a large-scale lithium-ion battery plant at existing plants in Poland, China and South Korea.

“Employees are the most important asset in building lithium-ion batteries, and we plan to invest significantly in making sure that our employees are ready to manage the complicated process and equipment," Danies Lee, CEO of NextStar Energy, said in the release. "We are excited to become a leading employer in Windsor and look forward to offering exciting jobs where people can develop the skills they need to build long-term careers in this important and growing industry."

The recruitment announcement comes about three weeks after a deal was reached, after sitting in limbo for about two months, to secure the future battery cell and module production plant in Windsor.

The joint-venture between Stellantis and LG Energy Solutions plans to begin operations in the first half of 2024 and is slated to be the leading battery hub in North America.

Production of EV battery modules at the $5 billion plant will start at the Windsor facility in the second quarter of 2024, with a goal of having 2,500 employees in place to allow for the full-scale production of EV battery modules, electrodes and cells in early 2025.

"We are grateful to the Canadian, Ontario and Windsor governments for their investments," said Lee. "Through our partnership we are revolutionizing the North American EV industry, and ensuring the proud tradition of automotive production in Windsor continues for future generations, by turning the region into the leading EV battery hub on the continent."

The open positions have been posted on the NextStar Energy website.