Electrochemical Cell Scientist

Ayrton Energy•Calgary, AB

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Ayrton Energy’s mission is to propel the global shift towards sustainable energy with the broad deployment of our cutting-edge hydrogen storage technology, reshaping hydrogen distribution to mirror the safety, simplicity, and efficiency of traditional fuels such as diesel or gasoline. As part of this, Ayrton is looking to hire a Senior Cell Development Scientist to join our Technology Development team. This role is for someone who has moved beyond the lab bench — you’ve seen what happens when PEM or AEM systems go from prototype to pilot to production, and you bring that perspective to everything you do. You will love this job if: You enjoy working on the frontier of energy systems technology development, where the answers aren’t always clear, and you get to find new solutions to challenges being faced for the first time You’ve taken fuel cell, electrolyzer, or similar electrochemical systems from bench to pilot or production and want to bring that hard-won experience to an early-stage company building something new You want to do meaningful development work — designing experiments, interpreting data, and advancing the science — not just run tests You thrive in a lab environment where you can move between cell testing, materials characterization, and hands-on fabrication You want to work with a small, highly motivated team where everyone contributes beyond their job title You have a passion for clean technology and a desire to develop products for a sustainable future

Requirements

Master’s or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline
5–10 years of industry experience in PEM or AEM fuel cell, electrolyzer, battery or related electrochemical cell development, testing, or materials characterization, with experience in a scale-up or production environment
Hands-on laboratory experience with cell and stack test equipment and analytical techniques
Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze data rigorously, and draw sound conclusions
Experience translating lab-scale findings into scalable processes or identifying barriers to scale-up
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
Must be legally authorized to work in Canada and able to work on-site at Ayrton Energy’s facility in Calgary

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with PEM or AEM fuel cell stack development, testing, and optimization in an industry setting
Experience with SEM, EDS, or other materials characterization tools
Familiarity with membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication, ink formulation, or catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) processes
Track record of contributing to the transition of cell technologies from lab to pilot or production scale
Familiarity with hydrogen safety and hazardous area classification standards

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director of Technology, lead and contribute to the development, testing, and optimization of Ayrton’s electrochemical cell and stack systems
Design and execute experiments to evaluate cell performance, durability, and degradation mechanisms, bringing a scale-up lens to lab-stage development decisions
Perform cell characterization and materials analysis (e.g., SEM, EIS, polarization curves) and translate results into actionable development insights
Support electrode and MEA fabrication, including ink formulation, coating processes, and quality assessment
Identify and flag failure modes, manufacturability challenges, and scale-up risks early in the development cycle
Collaborate closely with chemistry and engineering teams to integrate learnings across disciplines
Contribute to building robust test protocols, data analysis workflows, and laboratory documentation that support repeatable, production-relevant development
Support hazard reviews, risk assessments, and safe operating procedures in laboratory and shop environments