Staff Researcher - Cell Process Development

General Motors • Warren, MI

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

General Motors is seeking a Staff Researcher to join Battery Research and Development and lead electrode preparation and process development. The role focuses on sustaining and improving existing methods, developing new processing techniques, and increasing product performance, quality, and reliability. The researcher will lead electrode development from requirements through scale-up with internal teams and external partners and develop next-generation cathode and anode electrode technology.

The position leads electrode processes—including mixing, coating, calendaring, and cell assembly—and coordinates with design, process, controls, operations, facilities, manufacturing, and other stakeholders. It provides technical leadership to scientists and engineers, establishes engineering processes and standard work, manages cross-functional goals and deliverables, and supports manufacturing programs and vendor partnerships. The researcher will optimize and qualify electrode processes, establish quality-control specifications, analyze data, run proof-of-concept experiments, investigate failure modes, document results, contribute to intellectual property, and review relevant prior art and developments.

This role is hybrid, with the selected candidate expected to report to a specific location at least three times per week or at another frequency set by their manager. Travel is under 25%. Relocation benefits may be available to qualifying candidates. GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Following a motor vehicle report review, the candidate may be eligible for the company vehicle evaluation program, which requires participants to purchase or lease a qualifying GM vehicle every four years unless an exception applies.

Requirements

• MS or PhD in chemical engineering, materials science, physics, chemistry, or a related field.
• 10 or more years of experience in electrode process development, electrode fabrication and characterization or analysis, and quality-control methods and measurements.
• Hands-on experience with processes such as mixing, slurry coating, and calendaring.
• Proficiency with statistical methods for experiment planning, data analysis, and process control.
• Ability to work under pressure while managing multiple priorities.
• Extensive experience developing and characterizing electrodes and electrode processes.
• Knowledge and understanding of battery cell technology.
• Experience with pilot- or mass-production-scale electrode processes.
• Knowledge of design principles and integration requirements for electrodes in electrochemical systems.
• Experience with design of experiments methodology and/or statistical methods.
• Experience transferring new electrode processes into high-volume manufacturing.
• Experience with next-generation lithium-ion, solid-state, or other advanced battery technologies.
• Experience with electrode defect analysis, process capability, statistical process control, and design of experiments.
• Experience with automation, controls, data systems, or digital manufacturing tools.
• Knowledge of battery safety, quality systems, and manufacturing standards.
• No GM immigration-related sponsorship is available for this role, now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

• Cell design and evaluation experience covering components such as cathode, anode, and electrolyte.
• Prior electrode and electrode-equipment scale-up and manufacturing experience.
• Experience managing technical teams or mentoring scientists and engineers.
• Excellent laboratory practices, record keeping, report writing, and presentation skills.
• Prior experience with technology transfer, quality control, FMEA, and Six Sigma.
• Knowledge of battery-material testing platforms.
• Strong interpersonal, written, oral, and presentation skills.
• Ability to break down complex problems into manageable work streams.
• Experience creating, maintaining, and communicating schedules.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with other teams.
• Experience setting up project plans and communicating and mitigating setbacks quickly.
• Ability to work independently with attention to detail and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment with analytical, interpersonal, and professional judgment skills.
• Strong organizational skills, record keeping, and follow-through.

Responsibilities

• Lead electrode process development, including mixing, coating, calendaring, and cell assembly, to achieve electrode requirements.
• Provide technical leadership to a team of scientists and drive innovation and technology strategy for next-generation electrochemical devices and products.
• Establish engineering processes and standard work for electrode development and cell assembly.
• Set goals, define and track cross-functional deliverables, identify risks, and drive mitigation throughout program stages.
• Collaborate with engineering stakeholders through concept development, prototype testing, engineering design, system build, integration, and testing.
• Work with manufacturing engineering and cross-functional teams to advance manufacturing programs according to plan.
• Coordinate vendor partnerships with supply chain and purchasing and align engineering requirements, scope, schedule, and cost.
• Develop and adapt processes and methodologies to the team’s needs.
• Optimize and qualify electrode processes and identify quality-control protocols.
• Establish quality-control specifications for relevant processes and materials.
• Analyze data and support development of control charts.
• Identify process obstacles and test mixing, coating, calendaring, and storage-management approaches to optimize electrode processes.
• Manage proof-of-concept design of experiments to meet electrode specifications.
• Support fabrication and testing of electrodes and coatings and quantitatively measure performance against product requirements.
• Apply independent judgment to adapt or modify techniques, processes, and criteria to resolve technical challenges.
• Work with analytical chemists and process engineers to assess and communicate technical risks, investigate electrode failure modes, identify root causes, and develop solutions.
• Prepare reports, document results, present conclusions and next steps, and drive solutions to identified gaps.
• Contribute to intellectual property development.
• Review prior art and present relevant new developments to the team.

Benefits

• Relocation benefits are available for candidates who qualify under company policy.
• Eligible participants may be assigned a General Motors vehicle to drive and evaluate through the company vehicle evaluation program, subject to program conditions.
• GM states that well-being support is available from day one and provides access to Total Rewards resources; specific benefit plans are not detailed in the posting.

What This Job Offers

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