Battery Performance Research Internship

Who You Are

Are you a thoughtful, creative, diligent, and curious researcher? Are you excited at the prospect of helping to build the next generation of battery materials and technologies? Sila Nanotechnologies is seeking a scientist (multiple internship positions available) to:

Help elucidate the underlying structure-property relationships of binder materials and their impact on electrochemical performance; Help develop electrochemical models and methods to understand the voltage vs charge characteristics of various chemistries; Design, build, and validate Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analytical methods to study electrolytes; Design, build, and validate cell platforms with advanced electrode materials, and use these platforms to explore and develop novel electrolytes

Responsibilities and Duties  

• Spend 6+ months onsite at Sila, beginning in January or February 2023, to work exclusively on the assigned project; this is not a remote position
• Work closely with a scientist for technical aspects and also with a larger cross-company team of diverse backgrounds to discover and communicate knowledge for the long term development of our next generation battery materials
• Help build and operationalize new approaches, instrumentation, and analytics
• Investigate how to improve state-of-the-art Li-ion battery chemistries and materials
• Ensure that data collection is rigorous
• Design, execute, and improve experimental workflows
• Identify safety hazards and work cooperatively to implement improvements
• Invest in our values and champion them as we grow

Knowledge and Skill Requirements 

• BSc (or preferably MSc currently enrolled in a PhD program) or equivalent research experience with a focus in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related field
• Ability to clearly communicate technical findings to diverse audiences
• Experience in collaborative problem solving: share knowledge, ideas, resources, and strategies in order to solve challenging scientific problems

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and safety toe shoes
• Use a glove box and/or fume hood to prepare samples
• Operate analytical equipment at a lab bench
• Move items up to 25 lbs with the assistance of lift equipment and carts
• Move long distances (such as from building to building) and be stationary for extended periods of time
• Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc. in a fixed location

Start date is June 10, 2024

The starting base pay for this role is between $20/hr and $40/hr at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, and equity.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. This role may also be eligible for overtime.