Senior Cell Test Infrastructure Engineer

Blue Current; Hayward (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Current in Hayward, CA is seeking a Senior Cell Test Infrastructure Engineer to ensure the battery test lab runs safely, reliably, and scales with development programs. You will own test infrastructure—from instrument procurement and calibration to data integrity and SOPs—working with cell engineering, data, and facilities to deliver actionable results for program decisions.

Applicants should have a PhD/MS with hands-on lab leadership, strong scripting (Python), and experience with battery

Qualifications

• Experience developing test lab infrastructure including instrument procurement, installation, calibration, and test management.
• Experience building systems for managing tests, reporting data, and reviewing operations with stakeholders across an organization.

Responsibilities

• Design, install, and maintain battery testers and climate chambers.
• Manage test requests, scheduling, and real-time monitoring.
• Ensure data integrity and automated alerts for test failures.
• Collaborate with data team to translate test protocols into instrument programs.
• Maintain calibration schedules and SOPs; train technicians.

Skills

Lab equipment ops

Test data systems

SOP documentation

Vendor coordination

Python scripting

Troubleshooting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Advanced degree in batteries

Tools

Arbin

Maccor

Neware

BioLogic

Environmental chambers

Job description

About Blue Current

Blue Current (the "Company") is the industry leader in the development of silicon solid state batteries. Free of flammable liquid electrolytes, Blue Current's fully dry, inherently safe batteries significantly reduce risks to human and environmental health while providing a higher-performance alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Blue Current's silicon-based platform is highly adaptable, enabling a cost-effective solution for both the mobility and stationary storage markets. Blue Current's team works out of its state-of-the-art headquarters and pilot line facility in Hayward, California. To learn more about Blue Current, Inc., visit http://bluecurrent.com.

Position Summary

The Senior Cell Test Infrastructure Engineer ensures that Blue Current's battery test laboratory runs safely, reliably and meets the current and future needs of the cell development program. Working at the intersection of cell engineering, data engineering, and test development operations this role owns the systems and infrastructure behind test engineering from supporting existing equipment through calibration, maintenance, monitoring, troubleshooting to managing test requests, channel allocation and testing throughput to ensure tests produce actionable data to move projects and programs forward. Operating within Cell Engineering's established test strategy and in close partnership with Staff Test Engineers, the data team, and facilities, this role not only keeps the lab performing, but also grows its capacity and infrastructure so that engineers and scientists across the organization can depend on accurate, well-organized results.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Partner with facilities and equipment vendors on the design, layout, installation, and commissioning of battery testers, temperature-control chambers, and supporting lab infrastructure.
• Own equipment vendor relationships, including specification, procurement support, installation coordination, service and warranty management, and ongoing performance.
• Build, improve, and maintain systems and workflows for battery test management, including test request intake, scheduling, real-time monitoring, troubleshooting, and equipment calibration.
• Partner with the data team to ensure test data integrity, consistent and uniform data structures, and automated alerting for out-of-bounds, stalled, or failed tests so the data produced is trustworthy, traceable, and actionable for engineering decisions.
• Establish and maintain calibration schedules and records for test equipment, and resolve or elevate instruments operating outside tolerance.
• Write and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for test operations, and guide test technicians on day-to-day execution, troubleshooting, and safe equipment use.
• Work with Staff Test Engineers and other stakeholders to translate defined test protocols into instrument programs, and configure testers and chambers to execute those protocols correctly.
• Diagnose and resolve hardware, software, and data issues affecting test reliability, coordinating across cell engineering, data engineering, and facilities as needed.
• Monitor lab capacity, equipment utilization, and instrument health, and recommend and implement improvements that increase the impact, reliability, and throughput of testing
• Design and fabricate (or coordinate fabrication of) fixturing, chamber inserts, and other custom mechanical hardware needed to support test setups, working independently to solve mechanical problems as they arise
• Other duties as assigned, consistent with the scope and level of this position

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• PhD, MS (with 3+ years of relevant experience), or BS (with 5+ years of relevant experience) in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field, with a focus on batteries or electrochemical devices

Experience

• Experience developing test lab infrastructure including instrument procurement, installation, calibration, and test management.
• Demonstrated experience building systems for managing and tracking tests, reporting data, and reviewing operations with stakeholders across an organization

Skills & Knowledge

• Hands-on experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting laboratory or production test equipment and instrumentation.
• Working knowledge of test data systems and data integrity practices, including structured data capture, data validation, and automated alerting.
• Ability to write clear SOPs and technical documentation and to train and guide technicians.
• Experience coordinating with equipment vendors and facilities on installation, calibration, and service of technical equipment.
• Familiarity with scripting or instrument programming used to configure and automate test sequences (e.g., protocol programming on test instruments; Python or a similar language for data handling and automation).
• Strong troubleshooting skills spanning hardware, software, and data, with the ability to isolate root cause across system boundaries.
• Effective cross-functional communication and the ability to collaborate across engineering, data, and operations teams.

Certifications / Licenses

• N/A

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience specifying, installing, operating, and programming battery cell testing equipment, including cycler/tester platforms (e.g., Arbin, Maccor, Neware, BioLogic) and environmental or temperature-control chambers.
• Experience in a battery, electrochemistry, semiconductor, or other advanced-manufacturing or R&D laboratory.
• Experience designing, building, or scaling a test lab, including layout, electrical power, and environmental/thermal requirements.
• Experience building or improving LIMS, test-management, or data-pipeline systems.
• Proficiency with Python or a similar language for automation, data handling, and alerting.
• Working knowledge of relational databases (e.g., SQL) for querying, structuring, and maintaining test data.
• Familiarity with calibration standards, measurement traceability, and equipment qualification practices.
• Experience supporting the transition of test operations from R&D toward pilot-scale or higher-volume operation.

Core Values — Minimum Qualifications

Safety & Security First

For employees, customers, and intellectual property

• Demonstrated commitment to maintaining a safe and secure work environment, including adherence to workplace safety protocols, data privacy standards, and confidentiality requirements.
• Proven ability to identify and appropriately elevate potential risks to personnel, customers, or sensitive information.

Trust & Respect

Treat everyone with honesty, dignity, and sensitivity. Embrace different perspectives. Be humble.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and working styles.
• Track record of maintaining professionalism, integrity, and discretion in all workplace interactions.

Ownership & Accountability

Take responsibility and action. Set goals and deliver. Don't wait for others.

• Demonstrated ability to independently prioritize, execute, and follow through on responsibilities with minimal supervision.
• Proven track record of setting measurable goals, meeting deadlines, and taking initiative to resolve challenges proactively.

Technical Excellence

Always strive for the best solution possible.

• Demonstrated commitment to quality and continuous improvement in delivering work product, solutions, and outcomes within area of expertise.
• Ability to evaluate options critically and apply sound judgment to identify the most effective and scalable solution.

Learn & Be