Graduate Research Intern: Electrolyte Development

Sila • Alameda, CA

6d • $25 - $39

About The Position

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world? Sila is seeking a highly motivated and skilled graduate-level intern to join our Battery Performance team, focusing specifically on critical electrolyte Research & Development (R&D). This internship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the next generation of energy storage technology. The successful candidate will apply their theoretical and practical knowledge of chemistry and electrochemistry to the development and rigorous testing of novel electrolyte formulations. This work is directly aimed at overcoming current limitations in lithium-ion batteries that utilize silicon anodes.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a Master’s or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated theoretical and practical understanding of Li-ion battery components and degradation mechanisms.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple high-stakes experiments simultaneously.
• Ability to pivot efficiently between benchtop mixing and digital data analysis while maintaining a strict focus on safety protocols and data quality.

Nice To Haves

• Research experience in non-aqueous electrolyte formulations, solvation chemistry, or interfacial phenomena (SEI/CEI) is highly preferred.
• Proficiency in interpreting complex electrochemical data, specifically from EIS and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV).
• Experience utilizing chromatography (e.g., GC-MS, Ion Chromatography) or spectroscopy (e.g., NMR, FTIR, Raman) for electrolyte analysis.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop novel electrolyte solutions, executing experiments with various solvent mixtures, tailored salt concentrations, and specialized additive packages to achieve defined performance criteria.
• Conduct comprehensive cell characterization utilizing standard and advanced techniques, including cycling, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), and potentiostatic analysis.
• Lead efforts to optimize key battery performance indicators, with a specific emphasis on extending cycle and calendar life to ensure long-term stability.
• Develop advanced formulations with enhanced thermal stability and safety, ensuring high performance across extreme temperatures and aggressive fast-charging protocols.
• Maintain meticulous documentation, conduct rigorous data analysis, and ensure precise interpretation of all experimental results.
• Present key findings to the R&D team through comprehensive technical reports and formal presentations.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern