Sr. Materials Engineer, Next Gen Battery Materials

Sr. Materials Engineer, Next Gen Battery Materials Tesla - 3.3 Palo Alto, CA Job Details Full-time $91,600 - $195,600 a year 14 hours ago Benefits Commuter assistance Health savings account AD&D insurance Paid holidays Disability insurance Health insurance Dental insurance Flexible spending account Flextime Adoption assistance Employee assistance program 401(k) matching Employee discount Benefits from day one Pet insurance Qualifications Chemical Engineering Electrochemistry Materials engineering within manufacturing Chemical handling Gap analysis Coating Research Chemical scale-up projects Material selection and characterization Assembly Technology transfer (scale-up process) Engineering research Design engineering Prototype creation Chemistry Collaboration with manufacturing teams Benchmarking Chemical new product development projects Senior level Chemical engineering within materials development Mechanical knowledge Materials Science Cross-functional communication Supply chain collaboration Engineering validation Failure analysis Full Job Description What to Expect The active materials research team is seeking an experienced Senior Materials Engineer to synthesize, characterize, and optimize beyond-NMC cathode materials and evaluate their integration into advanced cell architectures with non-conventional electrolyte systems. In this role, you will own the development pipeline from novel cathode composition design and synthesis through cell fabrication, interfacial engineering, and electrochemical validation. Your work will explore pathways beyond traditional layered intercalation cathodes by unlocking new redox mechanisms, structural frameworks, and cell configurations that offer step-change improvements in energy density, safety, and cost. You will bridge fundamental materials discovery with industrial feasibility, collaborating closely with cell design engineers, electrolyte researchers, manufacturing teams, and supply chain partners to advance emerging technologies toward Tesla's future cell platforms. What You'll Do Design and synthesize novel rocksalt cathode compositions to access capacities beyond conventional layered oxide limits. Systematically optimize composition, anion chemistry, synthesis temperature, and processing route to control local structure, Li-ion transport pathways, and electrochemical performance Apply multiple synthesis methodologies — including solid-state reaction, high-energy mechanochemical processing, and wet-chemistry routes — tailored to the unique requirements of each compositional system Investigate and engineer redox mechanisms, including strategies to mitigate voltage hysteresis, gas evolution, impedance growth, and capacity fade through anion substitution, targeted cation selection, and interfacial passivation Synthesize and evaluate non-liquid electrolyte materials across multiple chemistries and assess their compatibility with in-house cathode materials in terms of electrochemical stability, interfacial reactivity, and ionic conductivity Engineer cathode-electrolyte interfaces by developing coating strategies, composite cathode formulations, and solvent-free / dry electrode processing methods to minimize interfacial impedance and enable stable cycling in non-liquid cell configurations Fabricate and test advanced-format cells — from proof-of-concept through application-relevant architectures — and benchmark against conventional liquid-electrolyte baselines to quantify performance benefits and gaps Conduct systematic degradation analysis including post-mortem characterization to identify failure modes such as surface reconstruction, interphase growth, particle cracking, and electrolyte decomposition Collaborate with electrochemists, computational scientists, validation engineers, and supply chain specialists to accelerate materials discovery and inform scale-up feasibility What You'll Bring Degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Electrochemistry, or equivalent experience, with a dissertation or significant research body focused on synthesis of advanced Li-based cathode materials beyond conventional layered oxides, or on next-generation cell architectures using non-liquid electrolyte systems. Candidates spanning both areas are strongly preferred Demonstrated hands-on expertise in cathode synthesis using solid-state reaction, high-energy ball milling, and/or sol-gel methods, with a published or industry track record of designing Li-rich or structurally unconventional compositions and tuning local atomic arrangements to optimize ion transport and capacity Deep understanding of anionic redox in Li-excess cathode systems — including the origin of voltage hysteresis and practical mitigation strategies through compositional design and surface engineering Practical experience with dry electrode processing — including solvent-free mixing, powder film formation, and calendering or pressing of composite electrodes — and understanding of the process-microstructure-performance relationships in dry-processed electrodes Experience synthesizing and handling air-sensitive electrolyte materials in controlled glovebox environments, with understanding of their chemical stability and processing requirements Familiarity with advanced cell fabrication — composite electrode preparation, electrolyte processing, and cell assembly — and the ability to troubleshoot interfacial and mechanical failure modes unique to non-conventional cell formats Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills Experience interfacing experimental work with computational guidance Working knowledge of chemo-mechanical behavior in advanced cells — volume change management, contact integrity, and mechanical stress-impedance relationships Experience with scale-up of advanced materials processing, including atmospheric control and continuous dry processing methods Compensation and Benefits Benefits Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire: Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits Company paid Basic Life, AD&D Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period) Employee Assistance Program Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays Back-up childcare and parenting support resources Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs Tesla Babies program Commuter benefits Employee discounts and perks program Expected Compensation $91,600 - $195,600/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. Tesla is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Tesla is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.