Senior Materials Scientist

Utility Global • Issaquah, WA

1d • $130,000 - $150,000

About The Position

Utility Global is seeking a Senior Materials Scientist to develop ceramic materials and fabrication processes for electrochemical cells. This hands-on R&D role focuses on how ceramic composition, microstructure, and processing affect cell performance, mechanical integrity, and manufacturability. Reporting to the Director of Cell Technology, the scientist will lead materials investigations, develop and refine ceramic processing methods, and troubleshoot issues during fabrication and testing. The role involves working directly with ceramic powders, formed components, coatings, and sintered materials, using experiments and materials characterization to guide development decisions.

The successful candidate will have substantial practical experience with ceramics; be able to independently plan and execute experiments; evaluate complex datasets and interconnected processes; and work through unfamiliar technical problems in a fast-moving development environment. The role also supports manufacturing scale-up by defining process targets, windows, and tolerances for reproducible cell fabrication.

Utility Global develops technology that transforms industrial off-gases and biogases into clean energy, sustainable fuels, and feedstocks, supporting industrial decarbonization.

Requirements

• MS or PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of hands-on experience developing, processing, or characterizing ceramic materials in an industrial or research environment.
• Strong understanding of ceramic processing and how forming, drying, thermal treatment, and sintering affect microstructure and final properties.
• Experience with ceramic fabrication methods and the practical challenges of producing consistent, defect-free components.
• Ability to independently design experiments, analyze results, and use data to make technical decisions.
• Experience with materials characterization and interpretation of microstructural, thermal, mechanical, or compositional data.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot materials and processing problems and identify root causes.
• Strong technical writing skills and ability to communicate experimental results clearly.
• Ability to manage multiple experiments and priorities while adapting to changing development needs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with functional ceramics, porous ceramics, or ceramic components for electrochemical devices.
• Hands-on experience with forming and coating processes such as isostatic pressing, extrusion, tape casting, screen printing, or spray coating.
• Experience with sintering, debinding, thermal processing, or ceramic-to-metal joining.
• Familiarity with ceramic porosity, pore structure, density, mechanical strength, and dimensional stability.
• Experience using characterization techniques such as SEM/EDS, XRD, dilatometry, TGA/DSC, porosimetry, and mechanical testing.
• Experience developing processing parameters and process windows for repeatable ceramic fabrication.
• Experience with high-temperature materials or ceramics exposed to chemically reactive environments.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and develop ceramic materials for electrochemical cells, including electrode and electrolyte composition, porosity, microstructure, mechanical strength, and thermal properties.
• Develop and optimize ceramic processing methods, including powder preparation, slurry formulation, greenforming, coating, drying, debinding, sintering, and joining.
• Identify process parameters that affect part quality and establish conditions for repeatable fabrication.
• Plan and execute structured experiments to evaluate materials, identify key process parameters, and improve cell quality and manufacturability.
• Conduct root-cause analysis of fabrication and materials issues, including cracking, warping, inconsistent porosity, weak components, coating defects, and joining failures.
• Use statistical analysis and data-processing methods to evaluate experimental results, quantify relationships between variables, and guide process optimization.
• Support scale-up by liaising with manufacturing and defining process targets, windows, and tolerances needed for part manufacturing.
• Collaborate with cell fabrication and testing personnel to resolve materials issues and prioritize development work.
• Provide technical guidance to laboratory staff and help establish reliable experimental and fabrication practices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior