Battery Test Technician

Gridtential Energy is seeking a Battery Test Technician in Mundelein, IL. The role involves managing test plans for battery performance, collecting data, and preparing proprietary silicon materials. The technician will collaborate with engineering and operations teams, contributing to R&D and commercialization efforts. Responsibilities include summarizing test data and creating reports. The position requires hands-on involvement and operates within a structured product development framework.
Corporate Background

Gridtential Energy is a Silicon Valley energy storage startup in the process of commercializing its proprietary Silicon Joule® Technology. Silicon Joule® incorporates solar silicon wafers & processing techniques into a novel bipolar battery architecture. This innovative approach to battery design combines the traditional benefits of lead acid batteries – low cost, robustness, and safety – with the recharge performance and life cycle benefits usually associated with lithium-ion batteries. The result is a high-performance and low-cost energy storage platform attracting attention in major applications including the automotive, energy storage, and industrial markets.

Gridtential’s business model is built upon a capital-light design, supply, and license approach that partners, rather than competes, with the world’s leading battery manufacturers. We start with our OEM partners to optimize our technology around their applications. Next we leverage our expertise in silicon processing techniques through a high-volume Asian supply chain. Meanwhile, battery assembly expertise is jointly developed with our highly experienced licensed partners who handle OEM fulfillment. Commercialization efforts are currently underway worldwide with several global manufacturers and joint pilot production has already been initiated with one of Gridtential’s licensed partners. These collaborative partnerships have brought together Silicon Valley thinking and a century’s worth of manufacturing expertise. Gridtential is staffed with a team of serial entrepreneurs, experienced managers, creative engineers, and master technicians. We treasure an open, direct, and politic-free culture that focuses on high productivity and collaborative achievement of ambitious goals in an enjoyable working environment. Come help us change the landscape of energy storage and create a cleaner, more efficient energy future for all!

Role Description

Gridtential has entered an exciting commercialization phase for its launch product and the team is growing. The Battery Test Technician will play a key role in helping both the Engineering and the Operations teams to be successful. From ongoing fundamental R&D of next-generation products to process development for commercialization efforts, you will have the opportunity to contribute at every level. The Battery Test Technician will manage the test plan for monitoring battery performance - both for in-house experiments and outbound customer delivery. You will collect test data and create summary reports for the engineering team to review. Additionally, you will have a hands-on role helping prepare Gridtential’s proprietary silicon materials, performing battery assemblies, tearing down batteries at end of life, and working with the engineering team to validate new ideas. Operating with a high level of autonomy, you will review experimental requests from the engineering team, plan their execution, and communicate problem areas back to the broader team. Gridtential uses a structured, schedule-driven product development approach and the Battery Test Technician will work with a team of engineers to achieve clearly defined performance targets on aggressive timelines.

Responsibilities
• Collect, process, and summarize raw battery test data
• Create summary reports of comparative battery performance and extract useful learnings
• Manage battery test plan - track and monitor batteries from construction, thru end-of-life testing schedule
• Prepare chemical solutions, weigh reagents, record data, and following written procedures in support of engineering experiments
• Collaborate with the engineering team to trial new battery assembly and filling procedures and test recipes – will be expected to provide feedback to the engineering team regarding successes/failures
• Perform hands-on, battery teardown operations, working in collaboration with the engineering team to identify failure modes and brainstorm fixes
• Hands-on assembly of batteries (multiple types and voltages)
• Prepare battery materials for engineering experiments
• Assist with shipping/receiving of samples out of Gridtential’s Santa Clara lab
• Maintain order and cleanliness of equipment and facilities in Santa Clara lab, maintain inventory of lab supplies, and ensure all safety precautions are being followed
• Interface with local vendors to order components as needed to complete tasks

Skills and Knowledge
• Knowledgeable in data handling and report generation
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and Google applications
• Experience with Python, Matlab, or other programming languages, preferred
• Prior experience working in a chemistry or engineering laboratory, preferred
• Familiarity with battery and/or fuel-cell construction a plus
• Track record of finding creative solutions to solve problems
• Strong troubleshooting skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, must be a self-starter
• Ability to manage shifting priorities and workloads
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work within a team

Qualifications
• 2+ years of engineering or test technician experience OR related degree
• Must be eligible to work in this country for any employers