Staff Electrolyte Engineer
at Sila
Alameda
About Us
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?
Who You Are
As an Electrolyte Battery Cell Engineer, you will leverage your expertise in electrolyte and Li-ion chemistry to design cutting-edge batteries featuring Sila’s next-generation products. You will lead the sourcing, development, integration, and evaluation of novel electrolytes, masterfully balancing tradeoffs between GED/VED, cycle life, and safety across various form factors. By applying fundamental electrochemical principles, advanced statistical data analysis, and rigorous failure analysis, you will optimize cell-level interactions and support prototype builds to consistently exceed product performance KPIs.
Responsibilities and Duties
- Lead the sourcing, development, integration, and electrochemical evaluation of novel electrolyte additives and formulations to optimize the critical performance tradeoffs between energy density, safety, and cycle life across both cylindrical and stacked cell architectures to exceed rigorous KPI targets.
- Develop and execute comprehensive test plans for multilayer cells, managing the journey from initial novel component integration through full cell qualification with a focus on rigorous data integrity.
- Lead thorough electrochemical failure analysis on prototype cells and customer qualification units to identify degradation mechanisms and drive engineering solutions.
Knowledge and Skill Requirements
- Subject matter expertise: demonstrated hands-on experience in developing, integrating, and evaluating electrolytes, specifically their interactions with advanced battery chemistries.
- Analytical rigor: proficiency in advanced data analysis tools and statistical methods to drive evidence-based design decisions.
- Technical problem solving: Proven ability to perform root-cause analysis and utilize fundamental electrochemical principles to solve integration challenges in multilayer cell formats.
- Experience in cell prototyping.
- At least a B.S. in engineering or science and 8+ years of experience (fewer for candidates with an advanced degree)
Physical Demands and Working Conditions
- Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location
- Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes
- 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 on an occasional basis
- Regular Shift: Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 6:00pm
The starting base pay for this role is between $151,000 and $191,000 at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity, and bonuses. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. #LI-PL1 #LI-Onsite
Working at Sila
We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.