Catholyte Engineer, Senior Member of Technical Staff
QuantumScape
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.
What we need: We are seeking a Senior Member of Technical Staff (SMTS) with deep expertise in catholyte development for all‑solid‑state batteries (ASSB). This role will lead formulation, processing, and integration of catholytes with solid state electrolyte and cathode active materials (CAM) to deliver cell-level performance, reliability, and manufacturability. The ideal candidate combines materials science and electrochemistry with hands-on process development and can drive multi-functional execution from concept to pilot scale.
What you’ll do:
- Catholyte Formulation & Design: Develop and optimize oxide/oxyhalide/sulfide-based catholytes; establish structure–property relationships governing ionic conductivity, mechanical compliance, and interfacial stability.
- Interface Engineering: Reduce interfacial impedance and contact loss at solid electrolyte|catholyte|CAM interfaces; develop coatings, additives, surface treatments, and gradient architectures to improve stability across voltage windows.
- Process Development: Responsible for mixing, dispersion, slurry rheology management, film casting and lamination, densification, and curing or thermal procedures. Establish critical-to-quality (CTQ) parameters and implement statistical process control (SPC) measures to ensure consistent yield.
- Performance: Correlate catholyte microstructure to cathode utilization, rate capability, and cycle life.
- Characterization: Establish test plans using electrochemical techniques, mechanical testing and microstructure characterization.
- Multi-functional Leadership: Partner with cell design, modeling, reliability, manufacturing, and quality to translate materials insights into cell architectures.
- Mentorship: Provide guidance to junior engineers and technicians, promoting protocols in materials processing, upholding experimental difficulty, and ensuring data reliability.
Skills you’ll need:
- Ph. D. in Materials Science/Chemical Engineering/Electrochemistry.
- 3+ years hands-on experience in catholyte development for oxide/sulfide/halide solid-state batteries.
- Proficiency with EIS, cycling protocols, and microstructural/mechanical characterization.
Nice to have:
- Experience with oxide/sulfide/oxyhalide; CAMs such as NMC/LMO/LMR variants adapted for ASSB.
- Knowledge of coatings, additives, binder systems, and functional fillers for interface control.
- Familiarity with cell stacking/lamination methods.
- 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 to be performed in a dry room, glovebox, fume hood and lab area requiring the use of fine motor skills.
Onsite: This role requires onsite presence five days per week to fulfill the crucial duties and responsibilities. As an R&D and manufacturing operations organization, in-person interaction is fundamental for encouraging genuine relationships, trust, partnership, and effective collaboration.
Compensation & Benefits: The salary range for this position begins at around $134,800 to $182,000, with final compensation resolved based on the candidate's experience and qualifications. QuantumScape also provides an annual bonus and a comprehensive RSU/Equity package as part of its overall compensation strategy. Additionally, our benefits offer include employer-paid healthcare, participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and a variety of other attractive perks.
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.