Senior Battery Process Quality Engineer

Zēlos Energy develops next-generation rechargeable zinc-based battery technology for critical applications including BBU, BESS, and UPS systems.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Battery Process Quality Engineer to lead quality control (QC), material validation, and process control across our battery and materials manufacturing operations. As an early member of the technical team, you will play a critical role in building the company’s quality foundation. This includes developing test methods and standards for incoming quality control (IQC), in-line quality control (ILQC), and outgoing quality control (OQC) , designing data and quality tracking systems, and working hands‑on with both internal teams and contract manufacturing partners to ensure materials and processes meet rigorous performance and reliability targets.

This role requires deep technical expertise in battery or advanced materials processing, strong communication skills, and the ability to lead manufacturing quality initiatives across cross‑functional teams and external partners.

This is a full‑time, on‑site position at our lab in San Leandro, California, in the heart of the Bay Area. Candidates must be fully authorized to work for any employer in the US.

Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor or transfer visas for this role.

• Develop and implement QC methods for material and process properties across both in‑house and external manufacturing partners.
• Lead the development of QC specifications, acceptance criteria, validation methods, and quality control plans that directly support product requirements and reliability targets.
• Set up initial workflows, documentation, and traceability frameworks to support scaling.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for material property evaluation and process capability across the manufacturing chain.

• Design lightweight but scalable data collection and analysis processes—using pragmatic tools initially, with a path toward automation as we grow.
• Ensure completeness, accuracy, and traceability of material and process data.
• Drive root cause investigations, trend analysis, and data‑driven decision‑making.
• Lead regular reviews of quality data and drive systemic corrective actions.
• Act as the quality lead for contract manufacturers and key material suppliers.
• Establish quality expectations with contract manufacturers and suppliers.
• Collaborate closely with external partners to ensure adherence to process controls, test requirements, and material specifications.
• Conduct on‑site visits, lead audits, implement corrective actions, and build long‑term quality relationships.

• Mentor and work closely with a team including engineers and lab technicians.
• Set priorities, guide daily activities, and ensure high‑quality execution of testing, analysis, and process verification tasks.
• Build a strong, hands‑on quality culture across the organization.

• Work directly with the internal technical team and leadership to rapidly iterate and refine processes.
• Support scale‑up activities, pilot runs, early production trials, and transfer‑to‑manufacturing efforts.
• Support new product introduction, pilot builds, ramp‑up activities, and process transfer to contract manufacturers.
• Ensure that processes are defined, documented, and implemented consistently across all production environments.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or similar field.
• 5+ years in quality control, process engineering, materials characterization, or battery manufacturing.
• Direct hands‑on experience implementing or improving QC systems in a manufacturing line.
• Hands‑on experience with lithium‑ion or alkaline battery manufacturing, electrode fabrication, or advanced materials processing.
• Proven experience working with contract manufacturers and suppliers in a high‑precision production environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, self‑motivated, and comfortable working both…