Director, Cell Development

QuantumScape Corporation•San Jose, CA

23h•$185,700 - $297,200•Onsite

About The Position

QuantumScape is seeking a Director of Cell Development to lead their solid-state battery cell development efforts. This role is crucial for transforming energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology, aiming for greater energy density, faster charging, and enhanced safety to support a lower carbon future. The Cell Development team operates at the intersection of materials science, electrochemistry, and process engineering, collaborating with various departments to ensure reliable and scalable cell production. The ideal candidate will be a thought leader in yield and reliability improvements, driving cell design and scale-up from single-layer to multi-layer architectures and pack-level integration. This position requires comfort with ambiguity, the ability to break down complex technical challenges, and lead high-synergy teams. Strong communication skills, particularly with executive leadership, and a commitment to radical candor and shared ownership are essential.

Requirements

Proven track record leading cell or battery development programs from concept through manufacturing scale-up
Deep technical expertise in lithium-metal, solid-state, or advanced battery cell technologies, including electrochemistry and failure mechanisms
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to decompose ambiguous, open-ended technical problems and re-integrate findings into a coherent strategy
Experience with cell design and scale-up, including multi-layer cell architectures and pack integration considerations
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership
Prior people-leadership experience, including hiring, developing, and managing technical teams
Comfort operating in a fast-paced, high-ambiguity environment with shifting priorities
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or equivalent, with a solid background in electrochemistry (required)
10+ years of relevant industry experience, including significant experience in battery or electrochemical cell development

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with solid-state or lithium-metal cell technology specifically
Familiarity with statistical process control, DOE, or reliability engineering methodologies
Experience working with metrology and failure analysis techniques (e.g., CT scanning, SEM, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy)

Responsibilities

Own the technical roadmap for solid-state lithium-metal cell development, from early-stage idea generation and feasibility through maturation and manufacturing readiness
Act as the thought leader on yield and reliability, setting the technical direction and priorities for improving cell performance, consistency, and failure rates
Lead cell design and scale-up efforts, including the transition from single-layer to multi-layer cell architectures and downstream pack integration
Partner closely with Failure Analysis, Metrology, and Quality teams to diagnose root causes of cell-level issues and translate findings into design and process improvements
Break down complex, open-ended technical problems into structured workstreams, and synthesize results across parallel efforts into a clear, actionable path forward
Build and lead a high-synergy, cross-functional team, hiring and developing talent to grow the group's capabilities
Drive cross-functional campaigns spanning R&D, manufacturing engineering, and quality to qualify new processes and improve line performance
Communicate progress, risks, and recommendations clearly to stakeholders up to and including the executive team, with a bias toward clarity over noise
Champion a culture of radical candor and shared ownership, eliminating siloed handoffs between development and manufacturing