Principal Member of Technical Staff (PMTS), Cell Development (CA, US, 95110)

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.

About the team: The Cell Development group is responsible for taking QuantumScape’s solid-state lithium-metal energy storage technology from early concept through manufacturing maturity. The team works at the intersection of materials science, electrochemistry, and process engineering, engaging directly with Failure Analysis, Metrology, Quality, and Manufacturing to turn promising ideas into reliable, scalable cells. We move fast, favor clarity over noise, and value candid feedback and close collaboration across groups. Come build with us!

What we need: The Cell Development team is seeking a hands-on process engineer to drive development of the process for our next generation of cells and advance it through demonstration and toward a reliable product. This PMTS role serves as the recognized authority on yield and reliability for this process, owning and improving it as the program matures. Expect open-ended, ambiguous problems in a fast-paced environment: break complex challenges into well-scoped chunks, drive parallel workstreams to resolution, and synthesize the results into a coherent path forward. Own hard, unsolved problems, lead through technical influence, and help invent what comes next!

What You’ll do:

• Lead technical strategy and hands-on execution for key next-generation cell process workstreams, driving development and scale-up from early builds through demo and into product
• Set technical direction and priorities to improve cell performance, yield, consistency, and reliability.
• Work directly with cells, experiments, and test data to develop, fix, and improve cell builds and processes
• Partner closely with Failure Analysis and Metrology teams to diagnose root causes of cell-level issues and translate findings into design and process improvements
• Mentor and rally engineers across the broader organization, championing candid feedback and shared ownership
• Communicate progress, risks, and recommendations clearly to collaborators up to and including the executive team

Skills You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s with 10+ years, Master’s with 8+, or Ph.D. with 6+ years of experience in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a closely related field, with a strong background in electrochemistry and battery or electrochemical cell development
• Deep technical expertise in lithium-metal, solid-state, or advanced battery cell technologies, including electrochemistry and failure mechanisms
• Experience taking a process from early development through pilot/demo builds
• Strong analytical skills - be able to decompose ambiguous problems and re-integrate findings into a coherent strategy and actionable path forward
• Ability to set technical priorities under uncertainty and make tradeoffs across performance, manufacturability, yield, reliability, cost, and schedule
• Skilled at aligning multi-functional teams around a technical plan
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Nice to have:

• Direct experience with solid-state or lithium-metal cell technology specifically
• Familiarity with statistical process control, DOE, or reliability engineering methodologies
• Experience working with metrology and failure analysis techniques (e.g., CT scanning, SEM, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy)
• Experience mentoring technical contributors and translating R&D findings into specifications, controls, or manufacturing-ready practices

ONSITE: This position requires onsite work 5 days per week to meet its essential duties and requirements. As an on-site R&D and manufacturing organization, face-to-face interaction is vital to building authentic relationships, trust, and teamwork.

Compensation & Benefits: Expected salary range for this role is $136,700 to $208,500 with the final figure determined by the candidate's experiencw, educational background and internal equity. QuantumScape also offers an annual bonus and a generous RSU/Equity package as part of its compensation plan. We also offer a tremendous benefits plan, including employee-paid health care and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). 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.