Staff Engineer, Battery Carbon Materials

Lyten•San Jose, CA

About The Position

Lyten is seeking a highly motivated Staff Engineer, Battery Carbon Materials with deep expertise in carbon materials and electrochemistry, together with a strong understanding of the synthesis and processing of advanced carbon materials. This role sits at the intersection of materials science and electrochemistry and is responsible for developing next-generation carbon materials for energy storage applications by establishing a fundamental understanding of how carbon structure and properties influence electrochemical performance. The successful candidate will establish a mechanistic understanding of how carbon structure, morphology, porosity, surface chemistry, defects, and processing influence electrochemical performance and long-term stability. A key aspect of the role is uncovering how carbon materials interact with lithium and electrolytes across different electrode environments including the mechanisms governing lithium wetting, lithium intercalation, and related transport and interfacial behavior in graphene-based materials, graphite, and hard carbons. These insights will be used to guide material design, improve performance, and accelerate development.

Requirements

Doctorate degree on a battery topic AND 3+ years of experience in a relevant field... OR Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., materials science, electrochemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemical engineering) AND 5+ years of experience in a relevant field ...OR Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., chemistry (electrical), materials science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemical engineering) AND 7+ years of experience in a relevant field...OR equivalent experience.
Strong knowledge of carbon materials and their electrochemistry in battery systems including interfacial phenomena, electrolyte behavior, transport processes, and degradation mechanisms.
Strong understanding of lithium wetting and lithium intercalation and related transport and interfacial phenomena in graphene-based materials, graphite, and hard carbons.
Strong understanding of the synthesis, processing, and modification of battery-relevant carbon materials, including graphene-based materials, graphite, and hard carbons.
Demonstrated ability to connect carbon material properties and processing variables with electrochemical performance.
Experience designing and interpreting battery or electrochemical tests, including cycling, rate capability, efficiency, self-discharge or stability measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cell-level diagnostics.
Experience with relevant materials-characterization techniques such as SEM, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, BET and porosimetry, particle-size analysis, surface chemistry analysis, and thermal analysis.

Nice To Haves

Experience with carbon-metal composites, metal-matrix composites, or related multiphase materials, including particle dispersion, surface treatment, interfacial engineering.
Familiarity with pilot-scale or production-scale carbon synthesis and processing, including thermal, chemical, plasma, CVD, pyrolysis, activation, milling, classification, or related approaches.
Experience working in a fast-paced startup, scale-up, or product-development environment.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute technical strategies for the design, optimization, and evaluation of advanced carbon materials for energy-storage applications.
Develop mechanistic understanding of lithium wetting, lithium intercalation, and related transport and interfacial behavior in carbon materials, including graphene-based materials, graphite, and hard carbons.
Establish mechanistic understanding of how carbon structure, morphology, pore architecture, surface chemistry, defects, crystallinity, particle-size distribution, and processing affect electrochemical behavior.
Investigate carbon-electrolyte interactions across electrode environments, including swelling, wetting, ion transport, interfacial reactions, stability, and cycle life.
Translate structure-property-performance relationships into clear material specifications and actionable targets for synthesis and process development.
Formulate hypotheses and design efficient experiments that distinguish competing mechanisms, maximize learning, and support rapid technical decisions.
Lead electrochemical evaluation of candidate materials using appropriate electrode-level, coin-cell, and pouch-cell methods, and interpret results in the context of material properties and cell design.
Partner closely with process, characterization, and manufacturing teams to iterate rapidly on material and process solutions.
Proactively identify promising scientific directions, new analytical approaches, and emerging technologies that can improve material or cell performance.
Communicate technical findings clearly to both technical and leadership audiences through concise reports, presentations, and recommendations.
Mentor scientists, engineers, and technicians and contribute to a culture of scientific rigor, urgency, collaboration, and continuous learning.