Cell Electrode Process Development Engineer

This role requires a hands-on engineer who is comfortable in the lab, on the pilot line, and on the production floor. The ideal candidate understands how material properties and electrode process variables affect cell performance, safety, and reliability, and can work closely with Cell Product Development, Industrialization, Quality, Manufacturing, and material suppliers to make sure what we design can be built consistently, safely, and economically.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES:

- Own process development for electrode manufacturing: raw material handling, slurry mixing, coating, drying, calendering, slitting, and other related processes as applicable.

- Identify systemic bottlenecks and chronic yield losses across electrode processes using production data (MES, SPC, scrap Pareto, OEE), lead root-cause analysis with 8D, DOE, and other structured problem-solving methods, and implement and verify lasting solutions.

- Define critical process parameters and critical quality attributes (for example slurry viscosity and solids content, coat weight, thickness and density, adhesion, edge quality, and defects) and link them to cell performance, safety, and reliability.

- Design and run DOEs at lab, pilot, and production scale to establish robust process windows and improve coating speed and line throughput.

- Write process specifications, mixing recipes, parameter sheets, and technology transfer packages, and provide process requirements to Industrialization for equipment specifications.

- Support FAT and SAT on process performance, confirming equipment can hold the process window and meet capability requirements, and support process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ).

- Develop in-process inspection and test methods and acceptance criteria, including rheology, coat weight and thickness gauging, surface defect inspection, adhesion, and resistivity.

- Partner with Quality to develop PFMEAs, control plans, SPC limits, and reaction plans for electrode processes.

- Work with Supply Chain and suppliers to qualify new active materials, binders, conductive additives, and current collector foils, and to understand how incoming material variation affects the process.

- Provide design-for-manufacturing input to Cell Product Development and evaluate new materials and electrode designs for manufacturability.

- Evaluate new electrode technologies and process improvements for future lines and line expansions.

- Support customer programs, including defense and aerospace programs, through process documentation, audits, technical reviews, and qualification builds.

- Contribute to building ONEs intellectual property portfolio.

QUALIFICATIONS:

- Bachelors or Masters degree in Chemical Engineering or Electrochemistry preferred, or a related field.

- 2–8 years of experience in lithium-ion cell development or manufacturing, including a minimum of 2 years directly related to electrode process engineering.

- Hands-on process experience with one or more of the following: slurry mixing, coating, drying, calendering, slitting, or other related processes.

- Understanding of how material properties and electrode process variables, such as slurry stability, coat weight uniformity, porosity, and drying conditions, drive cell capacity, impedance, and reliability.

- Track record of identifying root causes of chronic yield losses or throughput bottlenecks in production and implementing lasting fixes.

- Strong command of DOE, SPC, statistical analysis (JMP, Minitab, or Python), PFMEA, control plans, and structured problem solving (8D).

- Experience with electrode characterization and in-line metrology, such as rheology, particle size analysis, beta/X-ray coat weight gauging, thickness measurement, and adhesion and resistivity testing.

- Experience with LFP chemistry and water- or NMP-based slurry systems preferred.

- Experience transferring a process from pilot to high-volume production or supporting a production launch is a plus.

- Experience with IATF 16949, AS9100, or similar quality systems; experience supporting defense or aerospace customers is a plus.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including clear technical documentation.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AND EEO:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

An individual must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Our Next Energy Inc. (ONE) is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to disability or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.