Battery Lab User Facility Specialist (Intermediate)

How to Apply

A cover letter and resume are required for consideration for this position; include the cover letter as the first page of your resume. It should specifically address your interest in this position and outline particular skills and experience directly related to this position.

Job Summary

At the University of Michigan’s new Electric Vehicle Center (EVC), we educate, innovate, and engage to accelerate the future of electric mobility. As part of the EVC, the UM Battery Lab works to create and maintain a state of the art, independent user facility with a flexibility of scale in production and characterization of batteries that will benefit the energy storage community as a whole.

Basic Function and Responsibility

The Battery Lab at the University of Michigan is a full-service battery cell fabrication and testing facility open to any academic or industry user.

It was established in 2015 as the nation’s first university-based pilot line, and today it’s the only one located in the heart of the auto industry.

The lab is an IP-protected safe zone where researchers from around the globe can prototype, test, scale-up, and analyze batteries and the materials that go into them. It is currently 9,000 sq. feet of research space includes a pilot line for pouch and cylindrical cells, an R&D pouch cell line, coin cell fabrication, electrochemical cycling, abuse testing, and a full suite of material characterization tools. By the end of 2024, the UM Battery Lab will be over 17,000 sq. feet of research space.

The current role would be joining our highly trained technical staff as a Battery Engineer at the Associate level. It is anticipated that this position may transition from campus to the new Ellsworth facility once construction is completed and the candidate has been fully trained. We are looking to hire two Battery Engineers at the Associate level.

Who We Are

Michigan Engineers are world-class educators, researchers, students and staff who strive to build a people-first future. As part of a top national public research institution, Michigan Engineering’s mission is to provide scientific and technological leadership to the people of the world, develop intellectually curious and socially conscious minds, create collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promote an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good.

Our vision, mission and values are supported by a people-first engineering framework that guides our work. As Michigan Engineers, we strive to apply excellent engineering fundamentals, integrated expertise and equity-centered values to reimagine what engineering can be, close critical gaps, and elevate all people. Information about our vision, mission and values can be found at: http://strategicvision.engin.umich.edu/.

The University of Michigan has a storied legacy of commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Michigan Engineering models that commitment in our research, culture and collaborations. We seek to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of that commitment. Learn more about DEI at Michigan Engineering: https://www.engin.umich.edu/culture/diversity-equity-inclusion/.

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Maternity and Parental Leave

Responsibilities*

• Works in the laboratory with customers to execute pilot-scale production runs, execute cell testing, and solve problems as they arise.
• Follows SOPs to ensure evaluation and acceptance of new materials, new tooling, new fixtures.
• After training and certification, may be responsible for shipping and receiving of batteries, battery materials, and other goods related to the laboratory.
• May help generate and the follows SOPs and pre-generated procedures to test and collect operational data on batteries, including but not limited to:
  • Charging/discharging
  • Product cycle life
  • Failure analysis
• Train users in fabrication, characterization and testing equipment operation, as well as laboratory techniques, explain and demonstrate technology and equipment capabilities, operations, limitations, and outcomes.
• Work location flexibility – may be stationed alternatively at the North Campus or the Ellsworth expansion site depending upon current user demand.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering/Chemistry/Materials Science (or other relevant discipline) or equivalent experience in lithium ion battery manufacturing.
• Candidates must have experience working with analytical and/or testing equipment typical of an energy storage research facility. Some examples include:
• Understand the fundamentals of battery manufacturing and testing processes.
• Experience with laboratory safety and training.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, as well as good record keeping habits are required.
• Customer service-oriented mindset.
• Able to work in a low humidity environment.
• Ability to work efficiently in a multitasking, rapid-cycle development environment.
• Ability to move / lift items weighing up to 50 pounds.

Desired Qualifications*

• Experience working in an academic battery research facility or an industrial battery testing or fabrication facility.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Engineering & Architecture