Battery Cell Engineer, Research

Company: Rivian
Location: Irvine
Posted on: September 13, 2020

Job Description:

· Develop and execute design of experiments to access performance and lifetime of lithium ion batteries using state-of-the-art characterizing tools/techniques.

· Working closely with cell supplier to develop battery cells that meet/exceed Rivian’s requirement.

· Dissect and harvest cell’s components (electrodes, electrolyte and separator) and investigate their degradation mechanisms and failure modes using multiple physical and electrochemical techniques.

· Determine kinetic of lithium ion cells; side reaction rate… using CV, EIS…

· Build three-electrode cells to determine maximum charging/discharging rate of anode and cathode electrodes at different temperature and SOC.

· Benchmark new electrolyte formulations; source new emerging battery chemistry/technologies.

· Lead the development of electrolyte formulation including advanced liquid electrolyte and solid-state electrolyte for safer and higher energy lithium ion batteries.

· Work closely with material, cell suppliers and research institutes to define Roadmap for Rivian’s battery technology.

This is what you’ll need:

· Must have:

o PhD in chemistry/chemical engineering or materials science with more than 5 years working on lithium ion batteries in academia/industrial. Preferred PhD with postdoc or industrial experience.

o Demonstrated experience on cell’s characterization and post-mortem analysis.

o Strong understanding about cell’s components and their interactions inside the cell.

o Strong understanding about electrochemistry; electrochemical techniques such as CV, LSV, EIS, GITT, PITT…

o Experience material characterization such as SEM, TEM, XPS, FT-IR, ICP-MS, GC-MS, XRD, Raman…

o Experience in electrolyte design and formation or organic/ceramic synthesis. Strong understand about electrolyte-electrode interactions.

o Strong understanding about the chemistry of electrolyte including liquid and solid-state, degradation mechanisms and development process.

o Problem solving skills, think outside of the box.

o Desire to work in fast-paced environment.

o Experience with building coin cells.

o Experience in working with glovebox and handling air-sensitive materials.

o Experience in lab setup.

o Passionate about research/work; make extra effort to get the job done; Work well both in individual and in a team.

o Strong understanding about the chemistry and development of anode materials and cathode.

o Hands on experience with electrode processing including making slurry, coating, calendaring and drying.

o Experience in working and maintaining dry-room.

o Experience with pouch cell, cylindrical or prismatic.

o Experience in data analysis tool such as Python.

ABOUT RIVIAN:

Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract.

As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations.

We operate development centers in Plymouth, MI, Irvine CA and San Jose, CA, and Surrey, England, as well as a manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois.

Rivian is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: Rivian is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Rivian are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Rivian will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Rivian encourages applicants of all ages.

Keywords: Rivian, Irvine , Battery Cell Engineer, Research, Other , Irvine, California