Ensurge · 15 hours ago
Head of Cell Design and Materials
San Jose, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
8+ years expEnsurge Micropower is a pioneer in solid-state microbattery technology, enabling the next generation of intelligent, connected devices. The Head of Cell Design and Materials will be responsible for the technical direction of all cell platforms, leading a team to optimize cell architecture and material selection for enhanced performance and manufacturability.
BatteryConsumer ElectronicsElectronicsEnergy StorageWearables
Responsibilities
Own end-to-end cell architecture and design across all product platforms:
Layer stack architecture (anode / cathode / electrolyte / critical interfaces)
Thickness allocation, areal capacity, energy density trade-offs (VED, GED)
Mechanical, thermal, and electrochemical constraints at the cell level
Define, document, and maintain cell design rules:
Design limits, margins, tolerances
Scaling rules across thicknesses, layer counts and form factors
Lead cell architecture trade studies evaluating:
Performance vs. reliability vs. manufacturability
Near-term customer specific designs vs. long-term platform evolution
Serve as technical authority for cell-level decisions across all development programs
Own long-term materials strategy, balancing innovation, supply risk, cost, and manufacturability for:
Cathode materials and architectures, including freestanding cathodes
Solid-state electrolyte selection and interface engineering
Current collectors, barrier layers, and interface optimization
Define and own materials qualification criteria, covering:
Electrochemical performance and efficiency
Reliability, aging, and failure mechanisms
Manufacturability, scalability, and supply-chain readiness
Lead discussions with external suppliers and R&D partners to drive:
New materials introduction and evaluation
Co-development, benchmarking, and down-selection
Drive interface optimization through data-driven DOEs and closed-loop learning
Make build-vs-buy and partner selection decisions for critical materials technologies
Act as the cell design owner across the Phase-Gate development process:
POC → EVT → DVT → PVT → MP
Accountable for cell technical readiness to scale, including risk identification and mitigation plans
Own cell-level go/no-go recommendations at each phase gate
Define, track, and deliver all cell-level technical deliverables
Design inputs & outputs
DFMEA ownership and mitigation of cell-level risks
Cell design reviews and technical readiness assessments
Ensure full traceability from:
Customer requirements → cell design → validation results → manufacturing readiness
Qualification
Required
Minimum Bachelor's degree in materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or relevant engineering discipline(s)
8-12+ years of experience in battery cell design including ownership of cell architecture decisions for commercial and or near commercial products
Experience with thin-film, microbatteries and/or solid-state battery technology
Proven experience building, leading, and mentoring high performing technical teams
Expert-level proficiency in all related design and technical tools (from CAD and simulation to the Microsoft suite)
Ability to clearly communicate complex technical topics to executive leadership, customers, and board-level stakeholders
Located in, or willing to regularly work on-site in, the San Jose area
Preferred
Advanced degrees (MS, PhD) in relevant engineering discipline(s)
Direct experience taking battery cell technologies from early development through industrialization and production map
Company
Ensurge
Ensurge is Energizing Innovation™ with ultrathin, flexible, and safe energy storage solutions for wearable devices, connected sensors, and beyond.
11-50 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Ensurge has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (2)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$192.79MKey Investors
CorningInvesco
2025-11-03Post Ipo Equity
2025-10-10Post Ipo Equity· $1.92M
2025-07-08Post Ipo Equity· $4.95M
Leadership Team
Arvind Kamath
Executive Vice President, Technology Development
Recent News
2025-12-17
2025-12-15
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