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Temp R&D Technician

Blue Current

Blue Current

Hayward, CA, USA
Posted on Jun 20, 2024
Summary

Have you worked in the battery, fuel cell, pharmaceutical chemical manufacturing or other lab environment? Do you strive to be a part of a team that will have an impact across the company and in the industry? Batteries are the single most critical part of the new energy economy for EVs, grid storage, consumer and IoT. Blue Current has developed a solid-state solution that exceeds the best batteries in the industry. The company is well funded and has a deep IP portfolio with dozens of patents granted and pending. Now we need you to join us in driving the next level of innovation in our cell development.

Description

As a research and development technician you will be focused on producing battery materials and/or building cells that deliver high energy density, safety, and manufacturability. You will be spending your day creating a supply of materials and/or building cells and then characterizing all in an effort to support your team. A background in materials science, chemical engineering, chemistry, or any related field is preferred. This position will offer hands-on, fast paced work on a growing team that has a shared passion to change the energy storage landscape.

Responsibilities

  • Produce various battery components (electrolyte material, electrodes, and cell components) you will be trained, no previous experience necessary
  • Characterize cell materials using various analytical techniques (e.g. SEM, XRD, TGA, Raman)
  • Work with team members to cast anodes and perform regular quality checks.
  • Work with team members to assemble solid-state cells and put them up for test
  • Work with team members to discuss characterization results to understand the impact of material properties on cell performance
  • Maintain the organization and cleanliness of the laboratory spaces.
  • Perform frequent preventative maintenance and calibrations on equipment to maintain the best operating conditions and functionality
  • Complete material documentation accurately and timely with detail
  • Quickly adapt to constantly evolving processes of core technology while maintaining detailed notes

Requirements

  • Experience working in an environment that requires strong attention to detail and precision (for example, a lab or a kitchen)
  • Consistent and thorough documentation, and standard operating procedures
  • Ability to work in a dry room and a glove box for extended periods of time
  • Ability to stand or sit for long periods of time and perform hand intensive repetitive tasks
  • Above-average fine manual dexterity and visual acuity
  • Working knowledge of Excel and Word
  • Strong interpersonal and organizational skills and experience working with team members to overcome technical challenges
  • Clear written and verbal skills to logically communicate ideas and thought processes
  • Appreciation for and adherence to lab and work safety policies
  • Ability to read and understand SDS

Preferred

  • BA/BS in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or similar field lab science
  • Previous glovebox/dry room experience
  • Previous chemical manufacturing experience
  • Familiarity with using analytical tools such as SEM, XRD, TGA, FTIR, TGA
  • 1+ years of work experience in a fast-paced lab or manufacturing environment requiring high accuracy execution of processes or experiments
  • Experience of working in a chemical laboratory and handling hazardous materials
  • Basic knowledge about chemistry (understanding of difference between acid/base, meaning of pH, and awareness of those risks)
  • Experience in powder process, e.g. batching, mixing, coating, calendaring experience or other densification techniques

Education - Bachelor's (Preferred)

Job Type - Full-time

Schedule - Monday to Friday

Location - Hayward, California

Ability to commute/relocate - Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work

About Blue Current

Blue Current is a manufacturer of Solid-state batteries based in Hayward, California. The company strives to provide engineers and designers with the highest performance and safest battery storage for the future energy economy including electric vehicles, consumer, medical and IoT devices. Blue Current leads with science, data and thoughtful IP across the full battery solution stack. Our team is diverse with deep research, implementation, and go-to-market experience. Our facility is located on San Francisco Bay with thousands of acres of wildlife preserve and miles of trails for recreation.

Blue Current is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and embraces diversity. We believe that our team is strengthened through hiring and retaining employees with diverse backgrounds, skill sets, ideas, and perspectives. We make hiring decisions based on merit and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex or gender (including pregnancy) gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, age, marital, veteran, disability status or any other protected category in accordance with applicable law.