PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related field; or MS/BS with relevant experience.
5-7 years of experience in cell design and scale-up processes.
Hands-on experience with cell build unit operations such as coating, slitting, and sealing.
Proven ability to conduct failure analysis and connect failure modes to design or process root causes.
Strong technical writing skills for documentation and specifications.
Responsibilities
Design and execute experiments to enhance cell performance using analytical and statistical techniques.
Lead root cause analysis for cell underperformance and implement design changes to eliminate issues.
Investigate material failure modes and quantify their impact on performance and yield.
Direct cell characterization and post-mortem analysis in collaboration with metrology teams.
Oversee new cell design introduction from research to production, identifying scale-sensitive failure modes early.
Define cell design requirements balancing performance, robustness, and manufacturability.
Mentor junior engineers in experimental design and failure analysis.
Benefits
Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams.
Opportunity to lead innovative projects from R&D to production.
Mentorship and professional development opportunities.
Engagement in cutting-edge cell technology advancements.
Flexible working conditions with occasional remote work options.
Full Job Description
Position Summary
We're looking for a Sr Cell Engineer to lead the technical work of moving Blue Current's cell technology from early-stage R&D through scaled production. You'll stay engaged across the full cell development arc, from working alongside scientists on novel cell designs and materials, to partnering with manufacturing and process engineers to make those designs buildable at scale. An ideal candidate brings genuine expertise, creativity, open-ended problem solving capability, and the ability to work cross-functionally in mid-size-and-growing organizations. In this role, you'll operate independently on complex technical problems, own your area of work end-to-end, and will be responsible for project design and execution within your domain.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Designs and executes hypothesis-driven experiments to understand and improve cell performance, using a mix of analytical techniques (chemical/material metrology like SEM, spectroscopy, etc) and statistical techniques (design of experiments, regression, and capability analysis)
Leads root cause analysis on cell underperformance and unexpected failures, developing mechanistic explanations rather than correlations, and driving the design or process changes that eliminate the cause.
Investigates material and interface failure modes (e.g. degradation, delamination, contact loss, mechanical fracture, contamination), and quantifies their contribution to performance loss and yield loss
Directs cell characterization and post-mortem analysis in partnership with metrology, selecting the techniques that discriminate between competing failure hypotheses rather than merely describing the result
Leads new cell design introduction from small-format research samples through pilot and production-representative builds. Successful engineers identify scale-sensitive failure modes early, and work with the manufacturing team and R&D to iterate and solve problems
Defines cell design requirements that balance electrochemical performance, mechanical robustness, and process capability, and develops cell designs and processes as the cell is scaled out of the lab to ensure high quality product rollout
Collaborates with research scientists on new cell chemistries, electrolyte systems, electrode architectures. Collaborates with process engineers to ensure scalability.
Documents experimental findings, cell specifications, and design-of-record revisions so that conclusions and the evidence behind them remain traceable across research, engineering, and manufacturing
Mentors junior engineers and technicians in experimental design, failure analysis, and characterization practice. Represents cell engineering in cross-functional technical planning and project execution
Models and improves laboratory safety practices, demonstrating sound experimental technique and helping implement best-practice updates
Other duties as assigned, consistent with the scope and level of this position
Minimum Qualifications
Education
PhD in relevant field, or MS (with 3+ years of relevant experience), or BS (with 5+ years of relevant experience); relevant fields include Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field, with a focus on batteries or electrochemical devices
Experience
Demonstrated experience taking a cell design from laboratory scale through at least one meaningful scale-up stage, such as a format change, process transfer, or production pilot
Hands-on experience with cell build unit operations (including 3 or more of: coating, calendering, slitting, stacking or winding, electrolyte or separator integration, sealing, and formation) and an understanding of how variation in each affects performance and yield
Experience designing and interpreting cell characterization studies, including rate testing, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cycle life testing
Experience conducting failure analysis and connecting observed failure modes to upstream process or design root causes
Skills & Knowledge
Technical foundation in electrochemical cell design, including electrode architecture, stack design, electrolyte-electrode compatibility, and the trade-offs between performance and manufacturability
Statistical fluency sufficient to design experiments that support defensible conclusions, and to analyze cell test results (A/B, run charts, DOE analysis, and related)
Clear technical writing sufficient to author and maintain cell specifications, SOPs and build documentation that other functions rely on
Ability to communicate across research, process engineering, quality, and operations, and to make decisions with incomplete information while stating assumptions explicitly
Certifications / Licenses
N/A
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with dry room or glovebox build environments and the constraints they place on cell design and material handling
Experience defining cell architecture (format, stack design, current collector configuration, sealing approach) in a scaleup environment
Experience contributing to equipment and capability roadmap planning, including identifying gaps between current infrastructure and scaleup requirements
Background in structured problem-solving methods such as design failure mode and effects analysis or experience in root cause analysis with cell teardowns and deep material analytics
Physical Requirements & Working Conditions
Regularly works in an active laboratory and manufacturing environment; standing and walking for a significant portion of the workday (approximately 4-6 hours per day)
Frequent hands-on interaction with cell build equipment and components, requiring manual dexterity and the ability to make detailed visual inspections of electrodes and assembled cells
Occasional lifting and carrying of items up to 30 lbs (e.g., material containers, equipment components, test fixtures)
Prolonged periods of screen-based work for data analysis, documentation, and communication
Regular use of personal protective equipment including safety glasses, gloves, and lab coat; additional protective equipment may be required depending on materials handled
Able to pass a respirator fit test and wear a respirator periodically
Work in dry room and glovebox environments with extremely low humidity may be required
Travel is estimated at less than 10% of working time and is primarily domestic; overseas travel is possible in the event of factory acceptance testing or vendor and supplier visits
Standard weekday business hours; occasional evening or weekend availability may be required during build campaigns or long-running tests
