Sr. Materials Engineer, Cathode Materials Development

The Active Materials Research Team is Seeking an Experienced Materials Engineer

The active materials research team is seeking an experienced Materials Engineer to develop, test, and validate next-generation battery materials and cell designs. In this role, you will focus on creating materials that deliver significantly higher energy density, durability, and cost-effectiveness compared to todays commercial solutions.

You will bridge cutting-edge academic research with real-world industrial implementation, working closely with supply chain partners, vendors, and cell design engineers to qualify new precursors and integrate advanced active materials into large-format cells. Stay at the forefront of battery materials research, including Li-ion and Na-ion cathodes, anode-free batteries, novel electrolytes, and solid-state batteries, and lead feasibility studies for integrating these technologies into Teslas next-generation cells.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-performance, cost-effective cathode materials that offer superior energy density, cycle life, and safety.
• Maintain detailed documentation of R&D progress and regularly present key findings and recommendations to leadership.
• Screen and evaluate novel electrolytes compatible with in-house cathode materials to enable new cell chemistries and extend cycle life.
• Design and execute experiments and validation tests to assess material performance, then qualify new materials for cell-level reliability, safety, and manufacturability.
• Collaborate closely with validation engineers, manufacturing teams, supply chain specialists, electrochemists, and modeling experts to scale up and integrate new active materials into production-ready battery cells.
• Partner with the laboratory manager and EHS team to ensure safe, compliant operation of furnaces, mixers, dry rooms, gloveboxes, and cell assembly equipment.

Requirements

• Degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Hands-on experience synthesizing layered transition metal oxide cathode materials, with a strong preference for coprecipitation of metal hydroxide precursors.
• Familiarity with battery electrode stack design, including optimization of mass loading, electrode thickness, and NP ratio to ensure accurate performance evaluation.
• Proficiency with materials characterization and electrochemical testing techniques, including XRD, SEM, ICP, BET, EIS, and GITT, for evaluating cathode materials and full cells.
• Demonstrated ability to perform root-cause analysis and resolve interfacial cross-talk between cathode, electrolyte, and anode to improve full-cell cycle life.
• Practical experience in cell fabrication, including slurry coating, coin-cell, and pouch-cell assembly, electrolyte formulation, and filling.
• Strong programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar for processing and analyzing battery test data.
• Working knowledge of chemical reaction kinetics, unit operation, heat and mass transfer, and condensed matter physics as applied to battery materials.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with strong problem-solving ability and sound judgment when working with incomplete information.

Benefits

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)
• 401k 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
• Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits, including 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.