Technical Project Manager

Plasma International; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Plasma International is seeking a Technical Program Manager to oversee a portfolio of customer-led battery cell development programmes, bridging cell development, pilot manufacturing and customer interfaces. This is not a traditional project-management role; you will own scope, timelines, milestones and delivery, coordinating materials, cell builds and testing across teams.

You will translate electrochemical data into clear technical conclusions, manage expectations with customers and drive

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related discipline.
• Hands-on experience in cell development, cell testing, pilot production or battery R&D.
• Ability to understand and interpret electrochemical, cycling and degradation data.
• Experience managing multiple technical programmes, development projects or customer projects.

Responsibilities

• Owns scope, timelines, milestones and delivery across multiple customer development programmes.
• Coordinates materials introduction, cell builds, testing requirements and progress tracking.
• Acts as the primary technical contact for customers, translating data into clear conclusions and next steps.
• Investigates root causes when results diverge, distinguishing material issues from manufacturing variables.

Skills

Program management

Technical communication

Customer interaction

Data interpretation

Education

Chemistry or related field

Job description

Technical Program Manager – Custom Battery Cell Development

We are working with a highly innovative battery technology business that is looking to appoint a Technical Program Manager to support a growing portfolio of customer-led cell development programmes.

This is not a traditional project management role.

The position sits directly between cell development, pilot manufacturing and the customer, taking technically complex battery programmes from initial material evaluation through cell build, testing, validation and final delivery.

The company operates a highly flexible, chemistry-agnostic cell development environment, working with external customers to develop and manufacture custom cells incorporating next-generation cathodes, anodes, separators and electrolyte technologies, alongside the development of its own proprietary cell technology.

We are particularly interested in speaking with people who have built their career within battery cell development, electrochemistry or materials science, but who now want to move into a broader role combining technical understanding, programme ownership and customer interaction.

You will manage multiple customer development programmes simultaneously, taking responsibility for scope, timelines, technical milestones and delivery.

Working closely with the internal cell development and pilot-line teams, you will coordinate the introduction of customer materials into the development process, plan cell builds, manage testing requirements and ensure programmes continue to move forward against agreed timelines.

You will also act as the primary technical contact for customers, discussing results, managing expectations and helping translate electrochemical and cycling data into clear technical conclusions and next steps.

When cell builds or testing results do not perform as expected, you will work alongside the technical team to understand the root cause, separating material-related issues from manufacturing or process variables.

We are looking for someone with:

• A degree in Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or a related discipline.
• Hands-on experience within cell development, cell testing, pilot production or battery R&D.
• A strong understanding of lithium-ion cell manufacturing processes, including slurry preparation, coating, calendaring/compaction, cell assembly, formation and testing.
• The ability to understand and interpret electrochemical, cycling and degradation data.
• Experience managing multiple technical programmes, development projects or customer projects simultaneously.
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to work directly with customer engineering and scientific teams.

Experience within electrolytes, interfacial chemistry or advanced battery materials would be particularly interesting.

This would suit someone who understands battery cell development at a technical level but wants to move beyond a purely laboratory-based position and take much greater ownership of customer programmes, technical delivery and project execution.