Head of Cathode Development

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