Materials Engineer NGP

QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company's next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future.

About the team: The Film R&D team is composed of highly skilled, hands-on engineers focused on advancing the company's core ceramic separator technology that underpins its solid-state battery platform. The team's mission is to push the boundaries of the solid-state separator technology, expanding the battery performance as the platform evolves.

Film R&D team members operate at the intersection of materials science, process development, and advanced manufacturing, moving fluidly between theory, experimentation, and execution. The environment requires close collaboration across departments, and success depends on disciplined execution, technical rigor, and translating insights into high-impact results that inform broader technical direction.

What we need:

The Film R&D team is seeking a motivated materials engineer with a strong foundation in how materials' properties relate to composition and processing conditions and is excited to translate materials understanding into experimental results. In this role, you will have an opportunity to explore how innovative processing techniques can influence ceramic materials properties.

You will operate multiple pieces of equipment, communicate technical findings clearly to cross-functional partners, and help to develop new processes that move the solid-state ceramic separator technology further. A background on powder metallurgy, ceramic materials, thin films, materials characterization, or mechanical properties assessment would be a differential. This role is well suited for an early-career engineer eager to build hands-on experience with ceramic materials and advanced manufacturing, while contributing to the next generation of solid-state ceramic separators.

What You'll do:

• Contribute to materials and process development efforts by taking ownership of assigned experimental work, maintaining documentation, participating in DOE planning and analysis, and coordinating schedules with project leads.
• Monitor key electrical performance metrics to assess materials development progress.
• Carry out thin-film processing experiments in support of materials development efforts.
• Propose and conduct materials characterization to support understanding of structure, processing, and performance relationships.
• Perform mechanical property measurements of brittle materials.
• Analyze experimental and process data using statistical methods and Python-based analysis tools.
• Develop and maintain procedures; document results and communicate findings in technical presentations and reports.

Skills You'll Need:

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Working knowledge of statistical data analysis methods applied to experimental or process data.
• Proficiency in Python or similar programming languages for instrument data analysis, automation, and handling large datasets.

• Demonstrated commitment to clear, accurate process and experimental documentation.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and data integrity.

Nice to have:

• Hands-on work with complex scientific or process equipment, including operation and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with a few materials' characterization techniques such as SEM, EDS, XRD, TGA, DSC, XPS, XRF, FTIR, AFM, and Raman spectroscopy.
• Practical background in mechanical property characterization such as dilatometry, DMA, nanoindentation, tribology, torsional, compressive, and flexural testing, particularly for brittle materials.
• Experience with electrical characterization methods applied to solid-sate electrolyte materials.
• Background in ceramic materials synthesis and processing.
• Exposure to thin-film deposition techniques.

Physical requirements:

• Work is performed in a dry room, cleanroom, fume hood, lab area, or glovebox requiring the use of fine motor skills, and personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hearing, foot, and eye protection.
• This position involves work around electrically energized, high-frequency, and electromagnetic systems in controlled laboratories or manufacturing environments, in accordance with established safety procedures.
• Sitting, standing, or walking for extended periods on the production floor.
• Reaching, stooping, kneeling, and twisting motions with hands.
• Lifting and/or moving up to 25 lbs.

Onsite: This position is required to work onsite 5 days per week to meet the minimum essential duties and requirements of this position. As an on-site R&D and manufacturing operations organization, in-person face to face interaction is essential to building authentic relationships, trust, teamwork, and collaboration.

Compensation & Benefits:

Expected salary range for this role is from $88,000 to $101,000, and a final salary will be determined by the candidate's experience and educational background. QuantumScape also offers an annual bonus and a generous RSU/Equity package as part of its compensation plan. In addition, we do offer a tremendous benefits plan including employee paid health care, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and other benefits.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.