Title:  Senior Engineer, Cell Process Development

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 Manufacturing and Yield team is a hands-on group of engineers and technicians dedicated to ensuring smooth, consistent production operations. We work directly on the manufacturing floor — maintaining equipment uptime, improving yield, and resolving production issues as they arise. Our team values ownership, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

What we need: We are seeking an experienced Senior Engineer, Cell Process Development level to take ownership of assigned production tools and yield performance on our Gen 1 battery manufacturing line. This is a floor-based role for an engineer who can operate independently: keeping equipment running reliably, driving root cause investigations, designing and executing experiments, and delivering measurable yield improvement. The ideal candidate is hands-on, data-driven, proactive in proposing and leading improvement plans, and a clear communicator who keeps production and engineering stakeholders aligned.

What You’ll Do:

Tool Ownership & Floor Operations

• Own assigned manufacturing tools and process stations on the Gen 1 battery manufacturing line, accountable for tool functionality, uptime, and yield performance.
• Work side-by-side with operators and technicians to ensure equipment runs within specification and production targets are met.
• Monitor tool performance, respond to alarms and abnormalities, and lead rapid containment actions to minimize production impact.
• Perform hands-on troubleshooting of mechanical and process-related equipment issues, escalating to appropriate teams when needed.
• Follow established change management practices: align with production leads and engineering management before making any change to a production tool or process.

Yield Improvement & Experimentation

• Analyze production and metrology data to identify yield loss patterns, quality trends, and recurring defects.
• Develop a clear improvement roadmap for assigned tools, proposing and prioritizing experiments based on data.
• Design, execute, and report on DOEs and tool adjustments, defining clear objectives, controls, and next steps.
• Track KPIs using SPC charts, control plans, and dashboards, and build monitoring tools that enable timely decisions on the floor.

Troubleshooting & Problem Solving

• Lead structured root cause analyses (RCAs) for equipment and yield-related issues using methodologies such as 8D, fishbone, and 5-Why.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) to closure, verifying effectiveness.
• Identify potential failure modes in assigned tools and processes, and implement mitigation strategies to improve reliability.
• Write and maintain high-quality SOPs, troubleshooting guides, and work instructions for assigned manufacturing areas.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Collaborate closely with Operations, Quality, and Maintenance teams to sustain line performance and resolve production challenges.
• Present clear findings, plans, and recommended actions to team leads and stakeholders, including purpose and next steps.
• Support equipment qualification and process change implementation, including documentation and validation activities.
• Provide guidance and informal mentorship to junior engineers and technicians on tool operation and troubleshooting practices.

Skills You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field, with 5+ years of hands-on manufacturing or production engineering experience; or Master’s degree with 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience owning production tools or processes in a manufacturing environment, preferably in battery, semiconductor, or other high-precision, high-volume industries.
• Strong hands-on proficiency in equipment troubleshooting, including mechanical systems and automated tooling.
• Working knowledge of statistical process control (SPC), DOE methodology, and data-driven process monitoring.
• Proficiency in Python, JMP, or equivalent data analysis tools for production monitoring and reporting.
• Proven ability to work independently, take initiative, and drive tasks to completion with minimal supervision.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to keep cross-functional stakeholders informed and aligned.
• Experience writing SOPs and engineering documentation in a quality-managed environment.

Nice to have:

• Experience with electrochemical systems or battery manufacturing.
• Familiarity with CAPA processes and structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., 8D, fishbone, 5-Why).
• Experience supporting equipment qualification, process transfer, or new line ramp activities.

Physical requirements:

• Work is performed in a dry room, fume hood, lab area, or glovebox requiring the use of fine motor skills and PPE.
• Sitting or standing for extended periods of time.
• Reaching and twisting motions with hands.
• Lifting 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 manufacturing operations organization, in-person presence is essential to supporting floor operations, building authentic relationships, trust, teamwork, and collaboration.

Compensation & Benefits: Expected salary range for this role is from $112,500 to $163,200 and a final salary will be determined by the candidate's experience, educational background and internal equity. 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.