Senior Materials Manager

Aspen Aerogels^® is a rapidly growing aerogel technology company founded in 2001 to capitalize on patented advances in aerogel manufacturing. Aspen’s extensive portfolio of proprietary aerogel products are manufactured at scale and sold worldwide in the Electric Vehicle, Energy Infrastructure, Sustainable Building Materials, and Power Generation industries. Aspen is a Tier 1/2 Automotive supplier of PyroThin^® thermal barriers, and our Pyrogel^® and Cryogel^® insulation products are used by virtually all leading petrochemical and refining company across more than 50 countries.  We’re on a mission to build a world-class organization as we continue to grow our energy infrastructure business, and expand to meet demand for PyroThin thermal barriers in the rapidly growing Electric Vehicle sector over the next decade.  We’re looking for great passionate, dynamic talent to join our team. 

Aspen Aerogels offers the opportunity to join the Battery Materials group as a Senior Materials Leader at its Technology Center located in Northborough, MA. The Senior Materials Leader will lead the development, characterization, and optimization of silicon carbon aerogel materials to push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery performance. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of material science, has a proven track record in the field of advanced energy storage technologies, and thrives in a collaborative R&D environment.

This in-person, lab-based role is responsible for leading and building the Materials team through materials synthesis, characterization, analysis, and lab operations. The Senior Materials Leader will be responsible for designing and synthesizing next generation silicon carbon aerogel material for lithium-ion battery applications. Experiments will range from developing novel material formulations to characterizing the electrochemistry of the material.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Materials Development: Lead the formulation and synthesis of silicon carbon aerogel materials to improve the performance and cycle life of lithium-ion batteries.
• Characterization: Utilize advanced techniques like SEM, XRD, BET, and TGA to study the microstructure, porosity, and chemical properties of the aerogel material.
• Battery Testing: Collaborate with the battery testing team to evaluate the electrochemical performance of cells containing the developed aerogel material.
• Scale-Up: Interface with the process engineering team to scale up the manufacturing process for the developed material from lab to pilot, and eventually to production scale.
• Data Analysis: Analyze and interpret test data to guide further material optimizations.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with departments outside of R&D like the design, manufacturing, and quality assurance teams to integrate the developed materials into battery products.
• Intellectual Property: Assist in the drafting and filing of patents to protect innovations.
• Literature Review and Trend Analysis: Stay updated with current research and advancements in the field, networking with both industry and academia, to ensure our materials are at the forefront of the industry.
• Safety and Compliance: Ensure all lab operations comply with safety standards and regulatory requirements
• Team Leadership: Mentor engineers and technicians, fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation
• Executive Level Communication: Communicate results and future development ideas to senior leaders. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ph.D. degree or relevant experience, with 3 to 5 years of industry experience in materials science, chemical engineering, chemistry or a related field
• Experience with silicon materials design for lithium ion battery applications
• Knowledge with polymer or carbon chemistry for energy storage applications
• Experience leading a product focused team of engineers and technicians
• Inspired and energized by leading a high functioning team that works on complex, high-value opportunities.
• Comfortable handling chemicals and working in gloveboxes
• Understanding of statistics and design of experiments
• Prior experience with programming and databases is valued 
• Prior experience working with automotive companies or tier 1 suppliers is valued
• Strong communication and time management skills

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology to solve the world’s toughest challenges in energy and sustainability 
• Collaborative and innovative work environment
• Opportunities for career growth and development
• State-of-the-art laboratories and equipment

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
• Occasional: bending, kneeling, squatting, standing, walking, reaching, overhead reaching, and fine motor skills. 
• Maximum/occasional lifting: to 30 pounds
• All employees are required to apply ergonomic correctness to all job tasks.

Aspen Aerogels is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity.  We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for employees.

Aspen Aerogels, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO is the Law poster is available here: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf.

Aspen Aerogels, Inc. is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to abuttitta@aerogel.com or call (508) 466-3111 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.