Battery Engineer (Failure Analysis)

About Blue Current

Blue Current is a manufacturer of Solid-state batteries based in Hayward, California. The company strives to provide engineers and designers with the highest performance and safest battery storage for the future energy economy including electric vehicles, consumer, medical and IoT devices. Blue Current leads with science, data and thoughtful IP across the full battery solution stack. Our team is diverse with deep research, implementation, and go-to-market experience. Our facility is located on San Francisco Bay with thousands of acres of wildlife preserve and miles of trails for recreation.

Summary

Blue Current is seeking an experienced and talented Battery Engineer with a passion for battery failure analysis to join our team in Hayward, California. As a hands-on member of Blue Current's R&D team, you will play a key role in advancing the performance and reliability of next-generation solid-state batteries for high-performance applications such as electric vehicles. The successful candidate will lead the failure analysis of Blue Current's R&D solid-state batteries, utilizing techniques such as SEM, optical microscopy, and X-ray microscopy to investigate defects and their impact on cell performance. They will collaborate across functional teams to perform quality control, develop new failure analysis methodologies, and train others in these techniques. Additionally, they will analyze electrode and cell-level metrics to identify root causes of failure, implement electrochemical test protocols, and suggest process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead failure analysis of Blue Current's R&D solid-state batteries
• Perform, document and analyze systematic failure analysis techniques such as SEM, optical microscopy, x-ray microscopy, etc
• Study the impact of electrode and cell level metrics and defects on short- and long-term cell performance
• Collaborate across functional teams to perform quality control and failure analysis on cells and communicate the results
• Collaborate across functional teams to identify failure analysis techniques, develop them, and leverage these techniques or train new users on these techniques
• Review literature on solid-state battery failure mechanisms and failure analysis statistics and implement them into the Blue Current technical ecosystem
• Collaborate with technicians and engineers in the laboratory to identify root causes of cell failure and irreproducibility and advocate for proposed process changes
• Collaborate with cell test technicians and engineers to develop and implement electrochemical cycling and test protocols to demonstrate cell failure and determine root causes
• Manage complex projects across functional areas and prioritize, perform, and document failure analysis techniques in support of these projects
• Participate in an active safety culture, demonstrating best practices for lab safety and experimental techniques, and initiating and participating in changes to safety and best lab practices
  
  

Requirements

• PhD/MS in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or a similar field with a focus on batteries, capacitors, fuel cells, or other electrochemical devices
• Experience with electrochemical tests such as EIS, GITT, HPPC, and CV
• Familiarity and experience working with analytical tools such as optical Microscopy, X-ray Microscopy, SEM, XRD, and FTIR.
• Prior experience applying programming tools to analyze lithium-ion battery cell performance data is highly preferred
• Experience with statistical data analysis software like JMP and Minitab preferred
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills and experience working with team members to overcome technical challenges
• Appreciation for and adherence to lab and work safety policies
  
  

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Required to wear personal protective equipment when applicable.
• Able to pass a respirator fit test and wear a respirator periodically.
• Able to work in office, lab, and manufacturing environment with chemicals, moving mechanical parts, and electrical hazards.
  
  

Job type - full time

Schedule - Monday through Friday, day shift

Ability to commute/relocate - Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work

Blue Current is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and embraces diversity. We believe that our team is strengthened through hiring and retaining employees with diverse backgrounds, skill sets, ideas, and perspectives. We make hiring decisions based on merit and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex or gender (including pregnancy) gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, age, marital, veteran, disability status or any other protected category in accordance with applicable law.