Head of Cathode Development

Job description

About the role EnerVenue is seeking a technically exceptional Head of Cathode Development to lead the design, doping strategy, and industrialization of its nickel hydroxide cathode material for the Aqueous Metal Cell (AMC) platform. This is a rare opportunity to build a world-class cathode materials function from the ground up inside one of the most well-funded non-lithium battery companies in the world. The successful candidate will own the full cathode material development lifecycle — from precipitation chemistry and dopant selection, through phase stabilization and electrochemical qualification, to scale-up of a chemical manufacturing process at the Changzhou facility. EnerVenue's cathode roadmap centers on aluminum-substituted α-phase nickel hydroxide, co-doped with rare-earth elements such as yttrium to stabilize the higher-capacity α-phase while preserving activation speed, rate capability, and cycle life. This role requires someone equally comfortable running a precipitation reactor in the lab and directing a chemical production line on the factory floor. g What you'll do Cathode Material Development & Engineering • Lead the design, doping strategy, and optimization of aluminum-substituted α-Ni(OH)₂ cathode material, including co-doping with rare-earth elements (e.g., yttrium) to stabilize the α-phase without sacrificing activation rate or discharge capacity • Own the chemical complexing precipitation (CCP) process: NiSO₄, Al₂(SO₄)₃, and rare-earth nitrate/sulfate precursor chemistry, pH and temperature control, complexing agent dosing, and aging/recrystallization conditions • Define and control dopant stoichiometry (Al and RE atom % substitution) to balance α-phase stability, interlayer anion incorporation, basal spacing, and specific capacity • Drive cathode performance against targets for discharge capacity (>350 mAh g⁻¹), rate capability, cycling stability, and fast activation behavior • Establish material characterization protocols: XRD phase and crystallite-size analysis, SEM/EDS, HRTEM, ICP-OES composition verification, FT-IR, and XPS oxidation-state/defect analysis • Direct electrochemical qualification: cyclic voltammetry, EIS, Tafel polarization, and galvanostatic charge-discharge testing to benchmark reversibility, charge-transfer resistance, and diffusion kinetics against prior material generations Manufacturing Scale-Up (Changzhou, China) • Design and commission a cathode precursor chemical manufacturing line at the Changzhou facility, from bench-scale precipitation to production-qualified output • Select, procure, and qualify precipitation reactors, dosing/metering systems, filtration/washing equipment, and drying infrastructure • Establish process control systems, SPC frameworks, and inline quality monitoring (particle size, tap density, composition) for continuous cathode powder production • Build and lead a China-based cathode development and manufacturing team across materials R&D, process engineering, and production • Work with procurement to qualify domestic Chinese suppliers for nickel sulfate, aluminum sulfate, rare-earth precursors, and other precipitation chemicals • Ensure all manufacturing processes meet relevant environmental, health, and safety standards under China's GB and MEP regulations Technical Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration • Serve as the internal technical authority on cathode material science, precipitation chemistry, and dopant/defect engineering • Partner with the Electrode Engineering team to integrate cathode powder into paste formulation, active material loading, and finished electrode qualification • Collaborate with the Stanford-based R&D team to translate lab-scale doping discoveries into manufacturable, reproducible cathode processes • Establish and manage supplier qualification programs for precipitation chemical vendors • Report directly to the CTO; provide regular updates to executive leadership and investors on cathode roadmap progress and manufacturing ramp milestones Qualifications Education • Ph.D. or Master's degree in Materials Science, Electrochemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field • Equivalent industry experience (5+ years) with a strong portfolio of cathode material development and manufacturing will be considered in lieu of an advanced degree Core Technical Experience (Non-Negotiable) • Deep hands-on expertise developing aluminum-substituted or aluminum sulfate (Al₂(SO₄)₃)-doped nickel hydroxide cathode materials • Working knowledge of chemical complexing precipitation (CCP) or comparable co-precipitation synthesis routes for layered nickel hydroxide, including pH, temperature, and complexing-agent control • Understanding of α-phase vs. β-phase Ni(OH)₂ structure, turbostratic disorder, interlayer anion chemistry, and the phase-stability trade-offs introduced by trivalent dopant substitution (Al³⁺, Y³⁺, and related rare-earth ions) • Experience characterizing doped nickel hydroxide materials via XRD, SEM/EDS, ICP-OES, FT-IR, and XPS, and interpreting oxidation-state and defect chemistry (e.g., Ni²⁺/Ni³⁺ ratios, oxygen vacancy formation) • Experience with electrochemical evaluation of cathode materials (CV, EIS, Tafel analysis, GCD cycling) in three-electrode or full-cell Ni-MH/alkaline configurations • Track record of taking a doped cathode material from lab-scale synthesis to high-volume manufacturing Manufacturing & Operations Experience • Experience designing or commissioning a precipitation-based chemical manufacturing line in a Chinese industrial setting • Familiarity with Chinese manufacturing supply chains, equipment vendors, and chemical suppliers for battery cathode materials • Understanding of EHS compliance for wet-chemical/precipitation operations under Chinese regulations (MEP standards, wastewater treatment, heavy metal handling) • Experience managing cross-functional teams in a high-growth manufacturing environment Language & Location • Professional working proficiency in Mandarin Chinese required (reading technical documents, supplier negotiations, team management) • Professional proficiency in English required (communication with Silicon Valley HQ, investor reporting, international publications) • Based in or willing to relocate to Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China Preferred Qualifications • Direct experience with rare-earth (Y, or other RE) co-doping of nickel hydroxide cathodes • Publications or patents in Al-substituted or RE-doped α-Ni(OH)₂ cathode materials or related layered hydroxide electrochemistry • Experience with nickel-hydrogen systems specifically, in addition to Ni-MH or alkaline battery chemistries • Familiarity with hydrogen storage alloy (e.g., LaNi₅) negative electrode systems and full-cell balancing considerations • Experience with DoE (design of experiments) methodologies for precipitation and doping optimization • Network within the Chinese battery materials and rare-earth supply chain About EnerVenue, Inc. EnerVenue is a Silicon Valley-based energy infrastructure company commercializing metal-hydrogen battery technology originally developed by NASA for the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. Founded in 2020 by Stanford Professor Yi Cui, EnerVenue adapts this proven aerospace chemistry for grid-scale terrestrial energy storage, delivering batteries with 30,000+ cycle lifetimes, inherent fire-safety, and a 30-year design life. In 2026, EnerVenue closed a $300 million Series B extension and is well capitalized for growth. Funds are being deployed to build a high-volume manufacturing facility in Changzhou, China, targeting 250 MWh capacity by Q3 2026 and 1 GWh by 2027. EnerVenue has been named one of Time magazine's Top 10 US Green Technology Companies of 2025.