Battery Engineer

Programmers.io; California (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Programm ers.io in Mountain View, CA, is seeking an entry-level Battery Cell Process Engineer to support the fabrication and prototyping of next-generation battery technology. You will operate lab-scale pilot lines, help build pouch cells, and work with senior engineers to optimize processes.

Ideal candidates have a technical degree and 1–2 years of hands-on lab experience, strong documentation, and familiarity with basic battery manufacturing steps.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 1–2 years of experience operating lab-scale pilot line equipment for pouch cell fabrication.
• Hands-on experience with battery materials handling and lab safety protocols.
• Experience with lithium-ion cell manufacturing processes (e.g., slurry preparation, coating, calendering, stacking).

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end lab-scale pouch cell fabrication, including slurry mixing, electrode coating, calendering, slitting/die cutting, stacking, tab welding, pouch sealing, electrolyte filling, and formation.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain pilot line equipment, tooling, dry rooms, and glove boxes to maintain baseline process capability.
• Execute DOEs for process optimization to improve yield, uniformity, and energy density.
• Log fabrication metrics and quality inspections in tracking databases.
• Troubleshoot fabrication defects and implement corrective actions with senior engineers.
• Document SOPs, traveler logs, and safety protocols for new chemistries and form factors.

Skills

Lab-scale equipment operation

DOE

Documentation

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Excel

Job description

Role/Service Category: Battery Cell Process Engineer, L1 (entry level) - TVC

Location: Mountain View, CA

Experience :1-2 years

The Battery Cell Process Engineer (Pilot Line / Prototyping) will be supporting the fabrication and prototyping of next-generation battery technology for high-energy applications. The vendor will support senior process and cell design engineers by operating and maintaining lab-scale pilot line equipment, building pouch cells systematically, optimizing cell assembly parameters, and ensuring high manufacturing quality and repeatability across experimental builds.

Services and Deliverables

• Support end-to-end lab-scale pouch cell fabrication, including slurry mixing, electrode coating, calendering, slitting/die cutting, precision stacking, tab welding, pouch sealing, electrolyte filling, and formation.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain pilot line equipment, tooling, dry rooms, and glove boxes to maintain baseline process capability.
• Execute Design of Experiments (DOEs) for process optimization, identifying critical process parameters (CPPs) to improve cell yield, uniformity, and energy density.
• Perform in-line quality inspections (e.g., thickness uniformity, loading density, alignment checks, seal integrity) and log fabrication metrics into tracking databases.
• Troubleshoot fabrication defects (e.g., coating pinholes, delamination, stacking misalignment, poor wetting) and work with senior engineers to implement corrective actions.
• Document Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), assembly traveler logs, and safety protocols for new chemistries and form factors.

Minimum Qualifications (Reference only)

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical
• Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 1+ years of practical experience operating lab-scale pilot line equipment for pouch cell fabrication.
• Hands-on laboratory or cleanroom/dry room experience handling battery materials, chemicals, and mechanical assembly tools.
• Direct experience or coursework involving lithium-ion cell manufacturing processes (e.g., slurry preparation, slot-die/doctor-blade coating, calendering, stacking, electrolyte filling, etc.).
• Strong documentation skills, attention to detail in handling delicate pouch cell components, and adherence to lab safety/hazardous materials handling protocols.

Preferred Qualifications (Reference only)

• Working knowledge of pouch cell fabrication equipment, including tab welding, and electrolyte filling/sealing equipment.
• Familiarity with statistical process control (SPC), yield analysis, and basic data analysis tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, JMP, Excel).
• Understanding of how upstream process variations impact downstream cell quality and electrochemical performance.