Staff Battery Engineer, Battery Performance

Job Description

Job Description

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 a Battery Cell Engineer on the Battery Performance team, you will leverage your expertise to design cutting-edge batteries featuring Sila's next-generation anode material for a variety of customer applications. You possess demonstrated hands-on expertise in the comprehensive performance evaluation of battery components (including electrolytes, anodes, cathodes, foils, and separators) and have a proven ability to integrate novel components and innovations to optimize GED, cycle life, and safety tradeoffs. Your proficiency extends to supporting stacked pouch and cylindrical prototype builds, conducting thorough failure analysis, and leveraging advanced data analysis, statistical methods, and modeling to inform design iterations and solve complex challenges.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Develop and execute comprehensive test plans for multilayer and cylindrical cells, from initial novel component integration and validation through full cell qualification, ensuring rigorous data collection for analysis.
• Apply advanced data analysis, statistical methods, and modeling techniques to interpret test results, predict performance, and inform design iterations.
• Perform thorough failure analysis on prototype cells and customer qualification units to identify root causes.
• Support the successful execution of internal and external development programs by designing and refining cell prototyping processes.
• Champion our company's vision to actively develop and integrate novel testing capabilities and methodologies at the material, electrode, and cell levels to enhance performance evaluation and accelerate learning cycles.
• Effectively communicate complex ideas, strategic plans, and critical results externally to partners and internally across Sila's diverse teams.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements 

• Solid understanding of battery performance and failure mechanisms, including electrolyte degradation, material and cell-level swell, and Li plating.
• Solid experience with characterization and integration of novel battery components.
• Experience with data and modeling.
• Experience with cell prototyping.
• Ability to carefully plan and implement multiple projects simultaneously
• B.S. in engineering or science and 8+ years of experience (fewer for candidates with an advanced degree), or related experience.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes
• 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
• (As needed) Pass a respirator fit test and be able to wear respiratory protection 

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, and equity. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. #LI-Onsite #LI-PL1

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.