Staff Electrode Engineer

Sila • Alameda, CA

3d • Onsite

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? You’re an engineer excited to perform R&D structure-property relationships at the electrode level and scale R&D electrodes into prototype and production lines. You enjoy using design thinking to put creative solutions into practice and are driven to quickly test out and iterate concepts. You know how to be a thoughtful, supportive team member, and are ready to both give and receive feedback with humility. As part of a collaborative effort, your work will help to elucidate the underlying structure-property relationships of anode component materials and their impact on electrochemical performance, and scale the electrodes for commercially-built lithium-ion batteries.

Requirements

• Strong technical background, experience with lithium-ion batteries including different process steps (slurry, coating, cell design and cell tear down) is required; direct experience in slurry & coating formulation / process and their characterizations is a strong plus
• Well-organized and data-driven approach to problem solving and experimental design, driven by curiosity and attention to detail
• Proficiency in using databases, and data analysis tools such as JMP, Python, etc.
• Exceptional communication abilities with both internal groups and external customers; Mandarin or Korean language fluency is a plus
• Ability to carefully plan and implement multiple projects simultaneously
• Understanding of lab safety best practices
• At least a B.S. in engineering or science and 8+ years of experience in batteries or related field (fewer for candidates with an advanced degree)
• Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes
• Use a glove box and/or fume hood to prepare samples
• Operate analytical equipment at a lab bench
• Move items up to 25 lbs with the assistance of lift equipment and carts
• Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location
• Move long distances (such as from building to building) and be stationary for extended periods of time
• Pass a respirator fit test and be able to wear respiratory protection (As needed)
• Up to 10% domestic and international travel

Responsibilities

• Investigate the roles of active materials, binder, and conductive additives on the performance of Li-ion batteries
• Discover, understand and explain the fundamentals involved in the relationships between electrode components and cell performance
• Lead the design, development, qualification, and scaleup of novel electrode and participate and develop skills of cell prototyping and testing capabilities
• Apply advanced data analysis, statistical methods, and modeling techniques to interpret test results, predict performance, and inform design iterations
• Effectively communicate ideas, plans, and results to internal stakeholders, and occasionally to external partners
• Work with a larger cross-company team of diverse backgrounds to discover and communicate knowledge for the long term development of our next generation battery materials
• Accelerate learning cycles by developing new techniques or test methods to detect downstream challenges early in the development
• Identify safety hazards and work cooperatively to implement improvements
• Invest in our values and champion them as we grow

What This Job Offers

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