Battery Research Scientist

Essential Functions And Responsibilities

• Identify, test and vet new battery materials (e.g. cathodes, anodes, electrolytes, additives) for use in lithium-ion products.
• Design and execute experiments to evaluate electrochemical performance, lifetime, safety, and degradation.
• Build and test laboratory-scale cells (coin, pouch, or similar) to support material down-selection.
• Generate data and technical assessments that inform product development and material selection decisions.
• Partner with cell design team and prototyping team to assess scalability and integration risk.
• Act as a technical contributor on Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) with customers and strategic partners.
• Translate customer requirements into structured experimental plans, timelines, and deliverables.
• Present technical findings, experimental results, and progress updates to customer stakeholders.
• Ensure customer development activities align with internal product roadmaps and priorities.
• Execute externally funded battery research programs (e.g., grants).
• Support milestone execution, technical reporting, and data generation required for grant deliverables.
• Provide technical input to grant proposals, including feasibility studies and experimental plans.
• Coordinate grant activities with internal development efforts to maximize product relevance.

Qualifications

• PhD, MS, or BS in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Electrochemistry, or a related field.
• For MS or BS candidates: 2+ years of hands-on experience working with lithium-ion batteries or battery materials.
• Practical experience building and testing lithium-ion cells.
• Familiarity with standard battery characterization methods (e.g., cycling, rate capability, EIS, CV).
• Strong experimental design, data analysis, and documentation skills.
• Ability to communicate technical results clearly to both internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an industrial, startup, or product-focused R&D environment.
• Exposure to customer-facing technical roles or collaborative development programs.
• Experience executing or contributing to grant-funded R&D projects.
• Understanding of battery manufacturing processes or scale-up considerations.
• Familiarity with failure analysis, aging mechanisms, or post-mortem techniques.