Senior Solid-State Battery Electrochemist

QuantumScape; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 113,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

RSU/Equity package

Employee health care

ESPP

Other benefits

Job summary

QuantumScape is seeking a Senior Solid-State Battery Electrochemist to lead fabrication, characterization, and reliability improvements for next‑gen cells. This role blends electrochemistry, materials science, and process engineering to advance concepts toward pilot-scale manufacturing.

You will define diagnostic frameworks, mentor engineers, and drive technology roadmaps across cross‑functional teams in electrochemistry, materials science, and manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Electrochemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline with 1+ years of industry or postdoctoral experience; OR a Master's degree in one of these fields with 3+ years of industry or advanced research experience in lithium‑based battery technologies.
• Demonstrated expertise in solid‑state battery fabrication and assembly, electrochemical characterization and diagnostics, and battery degradation and failure analysis.
• Proven track record of leading complex technical programs and delivering solutions to cross‑disciplinary challenges.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills, with the ability to influence technical decisions across organizational boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Solid‑State Battery Fabrication & Development: Lead the development, fabrication, and optimization of solid‑state battery cells, driving improvements in performance, yield, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Electrochemical Characterization & Diagnostics: Define and execute advanced electrochemical characterization strategies to evaluate cell performance and assess long‑term reliability. Establish diagnostic frameworks and performance metrics that accelerate development and guide technical decision‑making.
• Technical Leadership and Mentorship: Provide technical leadership across cross‑functional teams spanning electrochemistry, materials science, process engineering, and manufacturing. Drive technology roadmaps, mentor engineers and scientists, and contribute to QuantumScape's intellectual property portfolio through innovation and invention.

Skills

Battery fabrication

Electrochemical diagnostics

Technical leadership

Communication

Education

PhD in Electrochemistry/Materials Science/Chemical Eng/Chemistry

MS with 3+ years in lithium battery tech

Job description

Description: QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future.

About the team: The Next-Generation Solid-State Battery team at QuantumScape develops and optimizes the solid-state cells at the heart of the company’s technology, carrying cell designs from concept through pilot-scale manufacturing. The team owns the characterization and diagnostic frameworks used to evaluate cell performance and long-term reliability, and it tackles the interface, degradation, and reliability challenges that stand between a promising cell and a manufacturable one. Working at the intersection of electrochemistry, materials science, process engineering, and manufacturing, the team prides itself on diagnostic rigor, technical mentorship, and innovation that contributes to QuantumScape’s intellectual property portfolio.

What we need: QuantumScape is seeking a Senior Solid-State Battery Electrochemist with deep expertise in electrochemistry, hands-on experience in solid-state battery fabrication, and a proven track record of solving complex interface, degradation, and reliability challenges. This role combines electrochemistry, materials science, and process engineering to advance high-performance, manufacturable solid-state battery technologies, guiding them from concept through pilot-scale manufacturing. If you want to own hard electrochemical problems end to end, shape the diagnostic frameworks that guide technical decisions, and mentor the engineers and scientists around you, we'd like to hear from you.

What You’ll do:

• Solid‑State Battery Fabrication & Development: Lead the development, fabrication, and optimization of solid‑state battery cells, driving improvements in performance, yield, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Electrochemical Characterization & Diagnostics: Define and execute advanced electrochemical characterization strategies to evaluate cell performance and assess long‑term reliability. Establish diagnostic frameworks and performance metrics that accelerate development and guide technical decision‑making.
• Technical Leadership and Mentorship: Provide technical leadership across cross‑functional teams spanning electrochemistry, materials science, process engineering, and manufacturing. Drive technology roadmaps, mentor engineers and scientists, and contribute to QuantumScape's intellectual property portfolio through innovation and invention.

Skills You’ll Need:

• Ph.D. in Electrochemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline with 1+ years of relevant industry or postdoctoral experience; OR a Master's degree in one of these fields with 3+ years of industry or advanced research experience in lithium‑based battery technologies.
• Demonstrated expertise in solid‑state battery fabrication and assembly, electrochemical characterization and diagnostics, and battery degradation and failure analysis.
• Proven track record of leading complex technical programs and delivering solutions to cross‑disciplinary challenges.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills, with the ability to influence technical decisions across organizational boundaries.

Nice to have:

• Demonstrated experience developing catholytes and composite cathodes for all‑solid‑state battery (ASSB) platforms.
• Experience in scaling electrode fabrication, cell stacking, and assembly processes toward pilot or high‑volume manufacturing.
• Experience integrating computational/physics‑based models to guide materials down‑selection.
• Authoritative publications and notable patent filings in solid‑state battery materials.

Physical requirements:

• Work is performed in a dry room, fume hood, lab area, or glovebox requiring the use of fine motor skills
• Sitting or standing for extended periods of time
• Reaching and twisting motions with hands
• Lifting up to 25 lbs.

ONSITE: This position is required to work onsite 5 days per week to meet the minimum essential duties and requirements of this position. As an on‑site R&D and manufacturing operations organization, in‑person face to face interaction is essential to building authentic relationships, trust, teamwork, and collaboration.

Compensation & Benefits: Expected salary range for this role is from $112,500 to 163,200, and a final salary will be determined by the candidate's experience, educational background and internal equity. QuantumScape also offers an annual bonus and a generous RSU/Equity package as part of its compensation plan. In addition, we do offer a tremendous benefits plan including employee paid health care, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and other benefits.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.