Lead Cell Engineer

What you’ll do at Ather: As a leader in our cell engineering group, you will be the technical authority and strategic driver for all aspects of our lithium-ion cell technology. You will: ● Lead from the Front: Build, mentor, and lead a world-class team of cell engineers. Foster a culture of deep technical rigor, innovation, and disciplined execution. You will own the team's technical roadmap and are responsible for its growth and success. ● Build a World-Class Cell Characterization and Diagnostics Engine: Champion the development of a rapid and deep characterization and diagnostics pipeline in addition to the standard tests, leveraging advanced analytical techniques including: ○ Ultra-High Precision Coulometry (UHPC) for lifetime prediction. ○ Synchrotron-based methods (e.g., in-situ XRD, XAS) for fundamental mechanism studies. ○ Advanced Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and distribution of relaxation times (DRT) analysis. ○ Multi-scale microscopy and spectroscopy (SEM, FIB-SEM, EDX, TEM). ○ Gas Chromatography (GC-MS) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) for electrolyte and gas analysis. ○ Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC) and other thermal methods for safety characterization. ● Choose the cells for our battery packs - now and later: Drive the development of cells for use in our battery packs - includes writing and negotiating requirements based on what the product needs or can do in addition to the ordinary, cell shortlisting, end-to-end qualification of the cell and the manufacturing process, root-causing and fixing issues that come up during the validation stage, working through opening up product improvements post production using the power of data. Work with peers and other supporting teams to build the technology roadmaps for our vehicles based on where cell technology is headed ● Engineer for Manufacturability & Quality: Identify and resolve complex process and quality issues during manufacturing of the cells / battery packs with internal and external partners ● Turn Data into Actionable Intelligence: Leverage our extensive datasets to accelerate learning cycles including lifetime forecasting basis of usage conditions, identification of subtle failure modes before they escalate, root-causing problems, developing test cases that mimic field usage, second life use-cases. ● Develop a Digital Twin with Predictive Simulation: Build and guide the development of a sophisticated simulation and modeling infrastructure. This is a critical component of our strategy to accelerate design iterations, validate performance, and ensure safety. Capabilities will include: ○ 1D electrochemical models for rapid performance screening. ○ Coupled multi-physics models (thermal-electrochemical-mechanical) to understand complex operational behavior. ○ Advanced safety and thermal runaway simulation models to inform robust cell and pack design. ● Drive the Supply Chain and Strategic Partnerships: Be the key technical leader in collaborations with partners across the value chain and will establish relationships with leading academic and corporate R&D groups to ensure we remain at the forefront of technology. Here’s what we are looking for: ● Core Qualifications: ○ A PhD or MS in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrochemistry, or a related field. ○ 10+ years of direct, hands-on experience in lithium-ion cell design, development, and high-volume manufacturing environments. ○ Expert-level, first-principles understanding of lithium-ion cell electrochemistry, component design (anode, cathode, electrolyte, separator), and their degradation mechanisms. ○ Practical knowledge of cell manufacturing processes: slurry mixing and rheology, coating, calendering, laser/ultrasonic welding, stacking/winding, electrolyte filling, and formation protocols. ○ Demonstrated experience leading technical teams ○ Strong proficiency in data analysis and visualization using tools like Python (Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, Matplotlib) or JMP. ○ Hands-on experience with a wide range of electrochemical and material characterization techniques (e.g., UHPC, EIS, GITT, CV, SEM, XRD, XPS, GC-MS). ● Preferred Qualifications & Bonus Points: ○ Experience designing for multiple cell formats (e.g., cylindrical, prismatic, pouch). ○ Demonstrated experience developing and validating cell models in platforms such as COMSOL, Ansys, or with custom scripts. ○ A track record of successfully transferring products from pilot scale to high-volume manufacturing. ○ Experience working directly with and managing relationships with external suppliers and contract manufacturers. What you bring to Ather: Ideal candidate holds a PhD in Electrochemistry / Materials Science / Chemical Engineering along with 7+ years of experience in lithium ion cell design / manufacturing ● Exceptional candidates with an Engineering Masters degree along with 10+ years of experience in lithium ion cell design and manufacturing