Head of Electrode Engineering

About the role

• EnerVenue is seeking a technically exceptional and operationally proven Head of Electrode Engineering to lead the development and industrialization of its nickel hydroxide cathode and nickel-alloy anode electrode systems. This is a rare opportunity to build a world-class electrode manufacturing operation 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 electrode lifecycle — from foam substrate selection and Ni-Mo plating chemistry, through active material coating, to finished electrode qualification and will establish a new chemical manufacturing line at the Changzhou facility. This role sits at the intersection of advanced electrochemistry, materials engineering, and industrial manufacturing, and requires someone equally comfortable in a laboratory and on a factory floor.

What you'll do

Electrode Development & Engineering

•     Lead the design, development, and optimization of the nickel hydroxide cathode and nickel-alloy (Ni-Mo) anode electrodes for EnerVenue's Aqueous Metal Cell (AMC) platform

•     Define and control the foam substrate specification such as pore size, porosity, surface density, and alloy composition for both nickel foam and iron foam substrates

•     Develop and own the Ni-Mo electroplating process: bath chemistry (NiSO₄, Na₂MoO₄, citrate/ammonium systems), current density profiles, pH and temperature control, and post-plating annealing protocols

•     Optimize active material loading, paste formulation, and pressing processes for nickel hydroxide cathodes

•     Drive electrode performance: capacity, cycle stability, rate capability, and lifetime, targeting 30,000+ cycles with less than 5% capacity loss

•     Establish electrode characterization protocols: SEM, XRD, EIS, BET, XPS, and cycling performance benchmarks

Manufacturing Line Build-Out (Changzhou, China)

•        Design and commission a new electrode chemical manufacturing line at the Changzhou facility, from blank spec to production-qualified output

•        Select, procure, and qualify electroplating equipment, rectifiers, bath management systems, and post-processing infrastructure

•        Establish process control systems, SPC frameworks, and inline quality monitoring for continuous Ni-Mo foam production

•        Build and lead a China-based electrode engineering and manufacturing team of 15–30 people across R&D, process engineering, and production

•        Work with procurement to qualify domestic Chinese suppliers for nickel foam, molybdenum salts, nickel sulfate, and other plating consumables

•        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 electrode science, plating chemistry, and foam substrate technology

•        Partner with the Cell Engineering team to integrate electrode designs into the AMC cell form factor and assembly process

•        Collaborate with the Stanford-based R&D team to translate lab-scale discoveries into manufacturable processes

•        Establish and manage supplier qualification programs for foam and plating chemical vendors

•        Report directly to the CTO; provide regular updates to executive leadership and investors on electrode roadmap progress and manufacturing ramp milestones

Qualifications

Education

•        Ph.D. or Master's degree in Materials Science, Electrochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field

•        Equivalent industry experience (5+ years) with a strong portfolio of electrode product development and manufacturing will be considered in lieu of advanced degree

Core Technical Experience (Non-Negotiable)

•       Deep hands-on expertise in nickel-molybdenum (Ni-Mo) alloy electrodeposition

◦       Working knowledge of NiSO₄/Na₂MoO₄/Na₃-citrate or ammonium chloride bath systems

◦       Understanding of co-deposition kinetics, induced co-deposition mechanisms, and Tafel slope analysis for HER catalysis

◦       Experience achieving overpotentials below 150 mV at 100 mA/cm² in alkaline HER conditions

•       Demonstrated expertise in porous metal foam development and manufacturing

◦       Experience specifying and/or producing nickel foam or iron foam via electrodeposition, CVD, or sintering routes

◦       Understanding of PPI, porosity, surface density, and pore morphology as they relate to electrode active material loading

•       Prior experience developing and manufacturing battery electrodes (cathode and/or anode) for NiMH, alkaline, or metal-hydrogen battery systems

•       Track record of taking an electrode from lab-scale development to high-volume manufacturing (>1 GWh/year scale)

Manufacturing & Operations Experience

•        Experience designing or commissioning an electroplating or electrode manufacturing production line in a Chinese industrial setting

•        Familiarity with Chinese manufacturing supply chains, equipment vendors, and chemical suppliers for battery electrode materials

•        Understanding of EHS compliance for electroplating 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 nickel-hydrogen systems

•        Publications or patents in Ni-Mo electrodeposition, nickel foam electrode engineering, or alkaline electrochemistry

•        Experience with iron-nickel foam substrates as electrode scaffolds

•        Familiarity with water electrolysis (alkaline or PEM) electrode technology — Ni-Mo is a key catalyst in this field and skills transfer directly

•        Experience with DoE (design of experiments) methodologies for electroplating bath optimization

•        Network within the Chinese battery materials supply chain, particularly foam and plating chemical vendors