Senior R&D Engineer - Electrode & Cell

Position Overview Lithios seeks a research scientist who will work with the R&D, engineering, and manufacturing teams to deliver solutions in the following areas:

• developing, optimizing, and testing electrode structures and cell architectures to improve electrochemical lithium extraction performance;
• identifying and evaluating electrode and cell design factors that impact the effectiveness of lithium extraction from complex multicomponent mixtures;
• quantifying and optimizing trade-offs in electrode and cell design, electrochemical operating conditions, and fluid management to maximize system performance;
• translating lab-scale learnings about cell operating conditions into system- and process-level designs and decisions;

This full-time role is hands-on in Medford, MA. Success may require interfacing with suppliers and partners. This role reports to the Director of R&D.

Candidate Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in materials science, chemical engineering, chemistry, mechanical engineering, or a related field or similar relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience in electrochemical systems including lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, supercapacitors, capacitive deionization, electrolyzers, fuel cells, electrodeposition, or electrowinning.
• Expertise in electrochemical characterization techniques including potentiometry, constant current and constant potential methods, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Experience with materials characterization techniques such as SEM, XRD, XPS, porosimetry, or related methods is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience developing, optimizing, and characterizing electrodes, electrochemical cells, or electrochemical processes. Experience with flow cells, electrochemical stacks, porous electrodes, or other electrochemical cell architectures is a plus.
• Strong understanding of electrochemical kinetics, mass transport, charge transport, and the factors governing rate capability in electrochemical systems
• Experience designing experiments, analyzing complex data, identifying performance-limiting mechanisms, and translating results into actionable engineering improvements.
• Ability to independently drive technical projects from problem definition through experimental validation and implementation.
• Ability to work hands-on with systems to understand challenges, find creative solutions to unconventional problems, and iterate rapidly to maximize learning rates.
• The desire to be in a dynamic startup environment with a focus on critical thinking to find impactful solutions to difficult challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments using appropriate electrochemical methods to quantify electrode and cell performance.
• Develop a quantitative understanding of performance bottlenecks, correlate material and fluid properties with electrochemical performance, and use experimental data to guide design decisions.
• Develop and optimize electrode structures, compositions, and fabrication methods to maximize performance metrics while managing cell design and manufacturing considerations.
• Establish clear performance metrics, design structured experiments, and iterate rapidly to improve lithium extraction rates and efficiency.
• Translate promising lab-scale results into practical cell designs, manufacturing methods, and process design decisions.
• Communicate technical challenges and results across the organization to advance product and process development.
• Mentor and lead junior engineers and technicians, including interns/co-ops.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Equity in the company.
• A 401(k) plan with employer matching.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 20 days of paid time off and 10 days of paid sick time off, in addition to all federal holidays and all days between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Eight weeks of paid parental leave, with the option to extend for an additional four weeks of unpaid leave.
• Flexible bereavement leave policy, including time off for the loss of a pet.
• Coverage of up to $5,000 in eligible moving expenses*.
• Company-supported opportunities in career development as well as the opportunity to be a leader in a rapidly growing organization.
• A fun, diverse, and talented team focused on making the biggest impact possible on the lithium industry.

*Eligible moving expenses include moving household goods and personal effects, employee travel and lodging, packing/unpacking services