Battery Performance Research Associate

Socket.dev; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 51,000 - 64,000; Part time

Job summary

Sila is seeking a Research Associate on the Battery Performance team in Alameda to support daily operations, handle chemical inventory, and perform physical testing of battery cells. The role emphasizes meticulous testing, detailed documentation, and collaboration across engineers to iterate materials.

The 1-year contractor engagement focuses on executing lab tasks, maintaining records, and ensuring safety and data integrity in a fast-paced R&D environment. Extension may follow performance.

Qualifications

• BS in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related field.
• 1+ years in a lab environment; battery research preferred.
• Ability to follow complex SOPs while maintaining high data quality.
• Experience with electronic documentation systems for tracking materials or test results.
• Exposure to or experience operating analytical equipment, chromatography a plus.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to pivot between tasks without losing data integrity.

Responsibilities

• Conduct experiments on component integration for battery cell design and analyze data with engineers to optimize selection and performance.
• Perform battery cell testing according to engineering specifications to generate high‑quality datasets.
• Conduct glovebox teardowns, document observations, and support root‑cause investigations.
• Maintain accurate records in centralized data systems, including results and inventory.
• Support multiple R&D projects by executing laboratory tasks and meeting milestones.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot testing equipment and analytical instrumentation.
• Receive, inventory, label, store, and track battery materials safely per regulations.
• Maintain a safe, clean lab environment to enable efficient handoffs across teams.

Skills

Laboratory experience

SOP compliance

Data documentation

Chromatography

Organizational skills

Education

BS in Chemistry

Tools

Chromatography systems

Job description

Sila is seeking a Research Associate on the Battery Performance team in Alameda to support daily operations, handle chemical inventory, and perform physical testing of battery cells. The role emphasizes meticulous testing, detailed documentation, and collaboration across engineers to iterate materials.

The 1-year contractor engagement focuses on executing lab tasks, maintaining records, and ensuring safety and data integrity in a fast-paced R&D environment. Extension may follow performance.