Head of Electrode Engineering

Job description

About the role EnerVenue is seeking a technically exceptional and operationally proven Head of Electrode Engineering to lead the development and industrialization of its nickel hydroxide cathode and nickel-alloy anode electrode systems. This is a rare opportunity to build a world-class electrode manufacturing operation 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 electrode lifecycle — from foam substrate selection and Ni-Mo plating chemistry, through active material coating, to finished electrode qualification and will establish a new chemical manufacturing line at the Changzhou facility. This role sits at the intersection of advanced electrochemistry, materials engineering, and industrial manufacturing, and requires someone equally comfortable in a laboratory and on a factory floor. What you'll do Electrode Development & Engineering • Lead the design, development, and optimization of the nickel hydroxide cathode and nickel-alloy (Ni-Mo) anode electrodes for EnerVenue's Aqueous Metal Cell (AMC) platform • Define and control the foam substrate specification such as pore size, porosity, surface density, and alloy composition for both nickel foam and iron foam substrates • Develop and own the Ni-Mo electroplating process: bath chemistry (NiSO₄, Na₂MoO₄, citrate/ammonium systems), current density profiles, pH and temperature control, and post-plating annealing protocols • Optimize active material loading, paste formulation, and pressing processes for nickel hydroxide cathodes • Drive electrode performance: capacity, cycle stability, rate capability, and lifetime, targeting 30,000+ cycles with less than 5% capacity loss • Establish electrode characterization protocols: SEM, XRD, EIS, BET, XPS, and cycling performance benchmarks Manufacturing Line Build-Out (Changzhou, China) • Design and commission a new electrode chemical manufacturing line at the Changzhou facility, from blank spec to production-qualified output • Select, procure, and qualify electroplating equipment, rectifiers, bath management systems, and post-processing infrastructure • Establish process control systems, SPC frameworks, and inline quality monitoring for continuous Ni-Mo foam production • Build and lead a China-based electrode engineering and manufacturing team of 15–30 people across R&D, process engineering, and production • Work with procurement to qualify domestic Chinese suppliers for nickel foam, molybdenum salts, nickel sulfate, and other plating consumables • 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 electrode science, plating chemistry, and foam substrate technology • Partner with the Cell Engineering team to integrate electrode designs into the AMC cell form factor and assembly process • Collaborate with the Stanford-based R&D team to translate lab-scale discoveries into manufacturable processes • Establish and manage supplier qualification programs for foam and plating chemical vendors • Report directly to the CTO; provide regular updates to executive leadership and investors on electrode roadmap progress and manufacturing ramp milestones Qualifications Education • Ph.D. or Master's degree in Materials Science, Electrochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field • Equivalent industry experience (5+ years) with a strong portfolio of electrode product development and manufacturing will be considered in lieu of advanced degree Core Technical Experience (Non-Negotiable) • Deep hands-on expertise in nickel-molybdenum (Ni-Mo) alloy electrodeposition ◦ Working knowledge of NiSO₄/Na₂MoO₄/Na₃-citrate or ammonium chloride bath systems ◦ Understanding of co-deposition kinetics, induced co-deposition mechanisms, and Tafel slope analysis for HER catalysis ◦ Experience achieving overpotentials below 150 mV at 100 mA/cm² in alkaline HER conditions • Demonstrated expertise in porous metal foam development and manufacturing ◦ Experience specifying and/or producing nickel foam or iron foam via electrodeposition, CVD, or sintering routes ◦ Understanding of PPI, porosity, surface density, and pore morphology as they relate to electrode active material loading • Prior experience developing and manufacturing battery electrodes (cathode and/or anode) for NiMH, alkaline, or metal-hydrogen battery systems • Track record of taking an electrode from lab-scale development to high-volume manufacturing (>1 GWh/year scale) Manufacturing & Operations Experience • Experience designing or commissioning an electroplating or electrode manufacturing production line in a Chinese industrial setting • Familiarity with Chinese manufacturing supply chains, equipment vendors, and chemical suppliers for battery electrode materials • Understanding of EHS compliance for electroplating 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 nickel-hydrogen systems • Publications or patents in Ni-Mo electrodeposition, nickel foam electrode engineering, or alkaline electrochemistry • Experience with iron-nickel foam substrates as electrode scaffolds • Familiarity with water electrolysis (alkaline or PEM) electrode technology — Ni-Mo is a key catalyst in this field and skills transfer directly • Experience with DoE (design of experiments) methodologies for electroplating bath optimization • Network within the Chinese battery materials supply chain, particularly foam and plating chemical vendors About EnerVenue, Inc. Named one of the world’s Top Greentech Companies by TIME in 2024 and 2025, EnerVenue builds simple, safer, and flexible energy storage solutions for the clean energy revolution. Based on technology proven over decades under the most extreme conditions, EnerVenue offers a differentiated stationary storage solution that improves upon today’s alternatives. Commercialized from research completed at Stanford University and backed by well-funded investors, EnerVenue is redefining the stationary storage market.