Sr Manager, Battery Scaleup

About Blue Current

Blue Current (the “Company”) is the industry leader in the development of silicon solid state batteries. Free of flammable liquid electrolytes, Blue Current’s fully dry, inherently safe batteries significantly reduce risks to human and environmental health while providing a higher-performance alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Blue Current’s silicon-based platform is highly adaptable, enabling a cost-effective solution for both the mobility and stationary storage markets. Blue Current’s team works out of its state-of-the-art headquarters and pilot line facility in Hayward, California. To learn more about Blue Current, Inc., visit http://bluecurrent.com.

Position Summary

The Sr Manager, Battery Scaleup leads all battery assembly engineering in Advanced Manufacturing, turning coated electrodes into finished, validated large-format cells, modules, and packs, and scaling each of those products through pilot and commercial production. This leader owns battery assembly process development with a strong emphasis on equipment and process scale-up, working with the Equipment and Process Scaleup team to design, procure, and implement assembly equipment, and with the Electrode Scaleup team on incoming electrode specifications. The role extends past the assembly line into large-format cell validation and testing, including external validation and safety testing, in partnership with Cell Engineering’s test engineering team. This leader is also part of the core group shaping Blue Current’s battery module and pack concepts, bringing an assembly and productization perspective and finding where cell-level processes can make module and pack assembly and testing faster and better. Success means batteries that are built consistently, validated credibly, and ready to scale.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Builds and leads the battery assembly engineering team in Advanced Manufacturing, setting priorities, coaching, managing performance, developing technical depth, and driving/maintaining rigorous safety and quality practices
• Owns cell assembly process development across electrode handling, punching, alignment, lamination, stacking, tab welding, and sealing, with a focus on quality, throughput, and holistic process improvement
• Partners with the Equipment and Process Scaleup team on assembly equipment design, selection, procurement, acceptance testing, and implementation, defining the process requirements equipment must meet
• Sets cell assembly process specifications and works with Process Quality on control points and acceptance criteria for finished cells, modules, and packs
• Develops roadmap with, and gives design input to, module and pack development team, and builds a team to build modules and packs, including all necessary process and quality development/implementation
• Works with the Electrode Scaleup team on incoming electrode specifications and handoff requirements, and resolves issues at the process interface between finished electrodes and cell assembly
• Leads large-format cell validation and testing in partnership with Cell Engineering’s test engineering team, including coordination of external validation and safety testing
• Leads root cause investigations into assembly defects and cell failures attributable to assembly, and drives corrective actions to closure
• Translates Research and Development and Cell Engineering requirements into assembly processes, and feeds assembly learnings back to shorten iteration cycles
• Contributes assembly and productization insight to battery module and pack concepts as part of the core concept team, identifying synergies between cell assembly and testing and module and pack assembly and testing
• Defines cell, module, and pack assembly requirements for larger demonstration and gigafactory-scale facilities with Equipment and Process Scaleup, Facilities, Environmental Health and Safety, and executive leadership
• Other duties as assigned, consistent with the scope and level of this position.

Minimum Qualifications