Battery Research Scientist

Forge Nano•Thornton, CO

8d•$80,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

Forge Nano Inc, a fast-growing materials company with a focus on manufacturing nano-scale coatings across a wide range of markets including lithium-ion batteries. We are seeking a Battery Research Scientist to join our R&D laboratory and drive development of commercial lithium-ion battery products. This is a highly applied role, focused on materials vetting, customer-driven joint development, and execution of funded battery research programs. This role should expect to spend at least 50% time in a laboratory environment with the goal of translating experimental results into product decisions. The Battery Scientist position will need to work collaboratively with other Scientists and Technicians and will report to the Principal Battery Scientist and the VP of Energy Storage.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

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

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