Manager - Cell Development

Nth Cycle; Burlington (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity

Health benefits

Job summary

Nth Cycle in Burlington, MA seeks a Manager, Cell Development to lead the design, development and optimization of electroextraction cells at scale. You will bridge electrochemistry and engineering, drive improvements in performance, durability, and manufacturability as we move from pilot systems to full production.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in electrochemical cell design and at least 2 years leading a technical team, with hands-on experimental design and cross-functional collaboration

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrochemistry, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years in electrochemical cell design, development, or engineering, ideally in electroextraction or related technologies.
• 2+ years leading a technical team.
• Strong understanding of electrochemistry fundamentals, cell architecture, and materials behavior.
• Hands-on experience designing and running experiments and iterating on designs.
• Experience taking technology from lab to pilot or production scale.
• Strong project management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage testing and iterative development of electroextraction cells/reactors.
• Define and execute experiments to improve efficiency, throughput, lifetime, and materials compatibility.
• Mentor a team of engineers/scientists in cell testing and characterization.
• Translate lab learnings into scalable designs for commercial deployment.
• Collaborate with process, systems, and manufacturing teams to ensure integration.
• Establish testing protocols, data standards, and performance benchmarks.
• Prioritize testing and manage assets.
• Analyze data to identify failure modes and bottlenecks.
• Manage vendor relationships for cell components and materials.
• Support IP development and document novel designs.
• Present findings to leadership and partners.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and environmental standards.

Skills

Electrochemistry

Team leadership

Experiment design

Pilot/scale-up

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or related field

Master’s or PhD preferred

Tools

CAD tools

DOE

Statistical analysis

Job description

WHO WE ARE:

Demand for critical minerals to power the energy transition is growing exponentially. Yet, we know mining deeper and broader, and building landfills higher and wider, works against our fight to save the planet.

At Nth Cycle, we see the path forward. We believe the critical minerals needed for the energy transition are already in circulation today. We just didn’t have a clean, profitable way of retrieving them, until now.

Nth Cycle is a metal processing technology company. Our electro-extraction technology helps recyclers and miners capture more critical minerals—for use in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, among other things—while dramatically reducing costs and emissions. We are the heart of metals processing; we are the crucial step that profitably separates critical minerals from other elements, transforming them into production-grade feedstocks for the energy transition.

OUR CULTURE:

• You won’t find another team like ours. We believe in open, honest communication, and enjoying our work while changing the world. And we value the perspectives and opinions of our colleagues while pushing each other to excel.
• We’re a dynamic team looking for a new team member who’s also passionate about addressing climate change and advancing the clean energy industry.
• Consistent with our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we value colleagues with the ability to work on diverse teams and with a diverse range of people.
• If this is you, keep reading.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Manager, Cell Development will lead the design, development, and optimization of the electroextraction cells that are core to Nth Cycle’s technology platform. This role bridges fundamental electrochemistry with practical engineering, driving improvements in cell performance, durability, scalability, and manufacturability as the company moves from pilot-scale systems to full commercial deployment. The ideal candidate combines strong technical depth in electrochemical systems with proven experience leading a team and managing cross-functional development programs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage the testing and iterative development of electroextraction cells/reactors used in Nth Cycle’s process.
• Define and execute experimental plans to improve electroextraction cell efficiency, throughput, lifetime, and materials compatibility.
• Manage and mentor a team of engineers and/or scientists working on cell testing and characterization.
• Translate lab- and pilot-scale learnings into designs suitable for scale-up and commercial deployment.
• Collaborate closely with process engineering, systems engineering, and manufacturing teams to ensure cell designs integrate smoothly into full system architecture.
• Establish and maintain testing protocols, data collection standards, and performance benchmarks for cell development.
• Determine and manage testing priorities and asset allocations.
• Analyze test data to identify failure modes, performance bottlenecks, and opportunities for design improvement.
• Manage vendor and supplier relationships for cell components and materials.
• Support intellectual property development, including documentation of novel cell designs and processes.
• Present technical findings and program updates to leadership and, as needed, to customers or partners.
• Ensure development work complies with relevant safety, quality, and environmental standards.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrochemistry, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field (Master’s or PhD preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in electrochemical cell design, development, or engineering, ideally in electroextraction, electrowinning, electrorefining, electrolysis, or related electrochemical separation/recovery technologies.
• 2+ years of experience managing or leading a technical team
• Strong understanding of electrochemistry fundamentals, cell architecture, and materials behavior under electrochemical conditions
• Hands-on experience designing and running experiments, interpreting data, and iterating on hardware designs.
• Experience taking technology from lab/bench scale toward pilot or commercial scale.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities and timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience with electroextraction or closely related metals recovery processes (electrowinning, electrorefining, hydrometallurgy).
• Familiarity with battery recycling or critical minerals supply chain.
• Experience with CAD tools, DOE (design of experiments). methodologies, and statistical analysis.
• Track record of filing patents or contributing to IP portfolios.
• Experience working in a fast-paced startup or scale-up environment.

What we offer:

• Competitive salary and equity.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits.
• Opportunity to make a direct impact on decarbonization and critical minerals supply chains.
• Collaborative, mission-driven team culture.

SALARY RANGE:

$150,000 - $180,000.

LOCATION:

Burlington, Massachusetts.