Cathode Synthesis Engineer

Electroflow Technologies•San Bruno, CA

11d

About The Position

Electroflow is unlocking domestic production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP), the battery material that will power an energy-abundant future. Using our proprietary electrochemical process, we collapse an incumbent 10-step brine-to-LFP supply chain into just three steps, making us on track to produce the lowest-cost LFP on the planet. After raising a $10 million Seed round backed by Union Square Ventures and Voyager Ventures, and being featured in The Wall Street Journal (twice!) and TechCrunch, we’re scaling fast to build America’s largest fully domestic LFP supply chain! As a Cathode Synthesis Engineer, you’ll work closely with our Founding Engineer to develop, scale, and optimize our LFP synthesis process, from precursor formulation through post-processing. Together, you’ll design, validate, and refine every step of the synthesis pathway to achieve consistent, high-performance LFP at commercial scale. We’re looking for a hands-on builder with deep process intuition, strong fundamentals, and direct experience with spray drying, a capability that will be central to our next phase of scale-up.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in battery cathode synthesis (preferably LFP) or adjacent inorganic materials processing.
Proven record transitioning processes from lab → pilot → production.
Hands-on expertise with spray drying (design, operation, or optimization) — ideally for precursor or powder synthesis.
Deep understanding of LFP formation chemistry, carbothermal routes, and structure-property relationships.
Familiarity with post-processing techniques: calcination, carbon coating, milling, classification, and particle size control.
Strong foundation in chemical engineering fundamentals: mass / heat transfer, thermodynamics, and process control.
Experience establishing and maintaining quality control and characterization pipelines (XRD, BET, PSD, carbon content, electrochemical testing).
Excellent documentation, clear communication, and collaborative problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Have experience integrating precursor synthesis with upstream brine or salt processing systems.
Bring exposure to other precursor preparation modes (wet milling, dry milling, centrifugal mixing, etc.).
Have worked with pilot spray dryers or thermal processing units.
Are comfortable in a startup setting where you’ll touch chemistry, mechanical, and operations problems every day.

Responsibilities

Work in a small, nimble team: Partner directly with our Founding Engineer to move fast, iterate quickly, and build out our in-house synthesis capability.
Scale LFP synthesis: Transition LFP chemistry from lab to pilot and production scale, managing process design, parameter optimization, and run-to-run reproducibility.
Lead spray drying operations: Develop, operate, and refine spray-drying protocols for precursor preparation; specify equipment, tune atomization and feed parameters, and establish robust SOPs.
Own post-processing: Define and scale protocols for calcination, carbon coating, and particle conditioning to meet commercial LFP performance benchmarks.
Establish quality control: Build rigorous analytical and QC workflows — particle size, phase purity, carbon content, and electrochemical validation — to ensure every batch meets spec.
Collaborate cross-functionally: Partner with process, electrochemistry, and upstream brine teams to ensure seamless integration from feedstock to final cathode material.
Iterate fast with fundamentals: Use physical chemistry and process modeling to guide rapid DOEs and optimization cycles; document and communicate results clearly.