Mitra Chem is a Silicon Valley startup working at the intersection of battery materials R&D, scale-up and machine learning. We live at the cutting-edge of battery technology and aim to deliver world-class materials for the EV market within the next few years. Our goal is to be the first lithium-ion battery materials manufacturer to shorten the lab-to-production timeline by >90% through accelerated R&D and vertically integrated process optimization. We will first focus on Li-ion battery cathodes, converting them from commodity chemicals into a product platform, customized for different applications. We have set up a state-of-the-art 15,000 sq ft industrial R&D center in Mountain View, CA. Join our team to be a part of the growing battery revolution.

Climate change and US energy security are at an inflection point. Join our team to be a part of the growing battery revolution.

We are looking for a Sr Chemical Process Engineer to design, scale-up and build a commercial cathode manufacturing facility. A few highlights of the role:

Mission: Enable the energy transition by accelerating cathode material mass production for EV and ESS battery market
Ownership: Make key plant design decisions on process, facility and equipment and be responsible for formulating cost and energy efficient process solutions.
Agility: Work at the crossroads of chemical engineering and chemistry, building scale-up infrastructure to bridge the gap between science and engineering and empower collaborative innovation
Impact: Drive rapid decision making and continuously accelerate product commercialization timeline by integrating advanced process solutions

Responsibilities:

Integrate internal lab/pilot results and external equipment supplier inputs to design and optimize battery cathode manufacturing process and mass production facility
Select, size and customize cathode manufacturing equipment and conduct equipment field testing
Plan and lead cathode manufacturing scale-up testing (100-1000 kg scale) and collect and analyze test data to optimize equipment performance
Work with EPC firms to generate and review all plant engineering documents, e.g. heat and mass balance, utility balance, plant layout, CAPEX and OPEX summary
Commission new process equipment at pilot and mass production scale, and troubleshoot large scale process equipment
Drive QC improvements at multiple points in the manufacturing process and communicate with R&D team to improve product quality control
Project management and progress reporting

Experience:

BS/MS or advanced degree in Chemical Engineering, with minor in chemistry or material science.
3+ years scale-up experience of pilot operation in chemical, ceramic, pharmaceutical, and food industry
Hands-on experience with various unit operations, including but not limited to precipitation, filtration, dry and wet milling, drying, high temperature calcination and powder handling
Experience in process control design/hardware selection and electrical basics/fundamentals
Prior experience with material characterization (SEM, ICP, XRD, PSA, titration, density measurement) is a plus
Prior experience with lithium-ion battery cathode synthesis is a plus
Prior experience with pilot and mass production facility design in an EPCM setup is a plus

Benefits:

Competitive compensation package
Comprehensive benefits including health, vision and dental insurance, and 401K.
Tax-free spending accounts, along with life and disability insurances
401k matching, equity and savings programs
Flexible time off with company holidays
Free lunch and snacks.

Mitra Chem is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. Company policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We take steps to provide our employees, applicants, and others with whom we do business with an environment that is free of any form of discrimination and harassment (including harassment based on any of these characteristics). Mitra Future Technologies, Inc. is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at careers(at)mitrachem.com.