Experimental Chemist, Quantum Energy Systems

Pronoia•Torrance, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Pronoia Energy is seeking an Experimental Chemist to conduct hands-on chemistry for discovery and characterization at the core of their quantum energy storage technology. This role involves synthesizing new materials, running reactions, and utilizing analytical instruments to understand material properties. The Experimental Chemist will collaborate with simulation, synthesis, and cell-build teams, feeding validated materials to computational scientists and cell technicians. Responsibilities include interpreting data with a deep understanding of solid-state device physics, evaluating permittivity, and analyzing electric moduli to ensure macroscopic ion leakage is frozen out and energy is locked into a stable quantum-confined state.

Requirements

M.S. or Ph.D. in electronic materials science, condensed matter physics, chemistry, or a related discipline, ideally with a specialization in functional solid-state dielectric metamaterials.
Hands-on synthetic or electrochemical chemistry with direct battery-materials experience, and safe, meticulous wet-lab practice.
Hands-on expertise in broadband dielectric spectroscopy and high-speed potentiostat diagnostics, with mathematical fluency in areas such as complex permittivity, complex conductivity, and electric modulus formalisms to isolate bulk quantum relaxations from macroscopic space-charge effects.
Hands-on expertise in methodology such as Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS) and high-speed potentiostat diagnostics, with mathematical fluency in complex permittivity, complex conductivity, and Electric Modulus formalisms to isolate bulk quantum relaxations from macro space-charge blockages.
Experience compounding solvent-free, catalyst-activated dynamic covalent polymer networks, with a working understanding of network relaxation dynamics, alpha/beta structural transitions, and polymer chain behavior under sub-nanometer confinement in porous host matrices.
A self-starter comfortable in an early, undefined materials function who thrives amid ambiguity and rapid iteration.

Nice To Haves

Experience with fast-transient bench craft such as impedance-matched 50-ohm RF transmission lines, high-slew-rate pulse generators, and shielding configurations that suppress parasitic cabling noise during fast-edge pulsing.
Transport modeling using explicit Laity resistance friction coefficients derived from current-current correlation functions.
Practical experience handling thermodynamics of nano-confined systems.
Specialization in solid-state, materials, or battery chemistry, and experience synthesizing and rigorously proving genuinely novel materials.
Familiarity with battery metrics and standards, and prior deep tech R&D alongside interdisciplinary teams in physics or materials science.

Responsibilities

Synthesize and purify candidate materials, including electrode materials and novel solid-state compounds.
Characterize materials rigorously using tools such as broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS), impedance analysis, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical testing.
Verify quantum confinement from BDS data, calculate frequency dispersion exponents, evaluate real permittivity stabilization plateaus, and analyze electric modulus inversions to confirm macroscopic ion leakage is completely frozen out.
Perform impedance data analysis to isolate long-range charge translation from highly localized bulk relaxation states.
Fit experimental dielectric data to Cole-Cole, Davidson-Cole, or other equations to extract relaxation times.
Feed validated material candidates and transport parameters into the simulation, cell-build, and testing pipeline.
Keep a safe, meticulous wet lab and collaborate across the materials, physics, and computational functions.
Provide data-driven insight that informs each design iteration.