We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world?
You are creative, proactive, rigorous, insightful, and hands-on. As a scientist or engineer on the Slurry & Coating R&D team, you will contribute to the improvement of commercially built high-energy Li-ion batteries during a 6-month co-op or internship. You are able to draw from fundamental knowledge from coursework and hands-on research experience to evaluate the performance of our silicon nanocomposite active material in our developing battery platform using both modeling and experimentation. As part of a collaborative effort, your work will help to elucidate the underlying structure-property relationships of anode and cathode component materials (including active materials, binders, and conductive additives), the effect of subsequent cell processing, and the resulting impact on electrochemical performance. In this internship you’ll make connections in the fast growing energy materials field and get a flavor of the benefits that a technical career at Sila has to offer.
Responsibilities and Duties- Spend 6 months onsite at Sila, beginning in August 2025, to work exclusively on the assigned projects
- Develop slurry and coating recipes through an iterative design process utilizing tabletop mixing & coating processes, incorporating existing characterization and analysis techniques as appropriate
- Plan and execute experiments to understand the effect of electrode parameters—such as mass loading, calendered density, and material type—on mechanical and electrochemical properties of fabricated coatings and cells
- Help build and operationalize new processes, instrumentation, and analytics pertaining to slurry and coating with rigorous data collection
- Discover, understand, and explain the fundamentals involved in the relationships between electrode components and cell performance
- Identify safety hazards and work cooperatively to implement improvements
- At least 6 months’ prior experience working full-time in academic and/or industrial research & development environments (battery-related is a plus)
- Academic focus or expertise in chemistry, chemical engineering, polymer science, physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, or a related field
- Proficiency with experimental design methods and statistical data analysis
- Strong commitment to thoroughly document procedures, results, and learnings using top-tier organizational practices toward building and preserving institutional knowledge
- Familiarity and engagement with best practices for collaborative problem-solving, such as sharing knowledge and ideas with peers, and formulating strategies to overcome technical challenges (familiarity with formal methods, such as failure modes & effects analysis, is a plus)
- Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes
- Precise and repetitive handling of a range of material quantities
- Use a glove box and/or fume hood to prepare samples
- Operate analytical equipment at a lab bench
- Move items up to 50 lbs with the assistance of lift equipment and carts
- Reach low shelves or items on the floor
- Move long distances (such as from building to building) and be stationary for extended periods of time
- Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc. in a fixed location
The starting base pay for this role is between $25/hr and $39/hr at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, and equity. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. This role may also be eligible for overtime.
We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.
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What We Do
We are Sila—a next generation battery materials company dedicated to accelerating energy transformation for a more sustainable future.
Our next-gen anode material is the first significant chemistry improvement to lithium-ion batteries to reach the market in 30 years. Our silicon anode material is a simple drop-in replacement to graphite and significantly boosts the energy density of lithium-ion batteries without compromising performance.
Today, Sila science powers innovative consumer electronics. Tomorrow, it will fuel our EV future and the electrification of everything.
We work directly with leading consumer electronics and automotive OEMs to help accelerate product roadmaps, and partners with battery manufacturers commercial cell production. Our partners include BMW, Daimler, and ATL.
Sila Nano’s first products significantly increase the energy density of state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. Our materials are manufacturable economically at scale and are drop-in replacements to existing battery manufacturing processes.
