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Physics-Based Modeling Internship/Co-Op

Alameda, CA

About Us

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?

Who You Are

Are you a thoughtful, creative, diligent, and curious battery/material/chemical engineer with strong foundational knowledge in applied mathematics? 

Are you excited at the prospect of helping to build the next generation of battery materials and technologies? Sila Nanotechnologies is seeking an early career engineer who is:

  • Ready to translate their skillsets learnt in their previous areas of study to apply to and learn about new and unfamiliar but intersecting fields.
  • Unafraid to ask questions from the most complex and challenging to the simplest and most seemingly obvious.
  • Happy to consider ideas that may be incorrect but could lead to future insights.
  • Capable of graciously critiquing the work of themselves and others for the sake of improving upon current systems and solutions.
  • Eager to identify the next steps in a project without having them be explicitly defined for and dictated to them.
  • Willing to make working conclusions necessary to move forward and express an accurate amount of confidence in them when sharing with others.

Responsibilities and Duties  

  • Spend a minimum of 6 months onsite at Sila, beginning in June 2026 or similar, to work full-time in this hands-on role.
  • Design experiments from the test apparatus to the testing procedure to measure material properties and instrument performance.
  • Using those experimental results and theory, build foundational battery, material synthesis, and/or reactor models with strong mechanistic fidelity.
  • Using those models, predict future material properties and instrument performance and develop key insights to accelerate learning cycles and reduce the cost of empirical R&D.
  • Thoroughly document, streamline, and modularize workflow so that others can pick up and continue your work or reapply it for a new purpose
  • Clearly and concisely present results, with conclusions and recommendations, to engineering mentors, management and other stakeholders.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements 

  • Studying toward or recently completed a MSc or PhD degree in chemical engineering, materials science, chemistry, or related fields.
  • Prior experience working in energy-related academic and/or industrial research & development environments (experience working on batteries is a plus but not required).
  • Prior experience with electrochemical, material science, and/or thermomechanical characterization methods.
  • Prior experience with Python (additional experience with modeling software like Pybamm and/or COMSOL is a plus).
  • Strong foundational knowledge in applied mathematics or related fields. 
  • Exceptional analytical and documentation skills.
  • Ability to learn new skills and ask for help when needed.
  • Capable of working independently with direction.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

  • Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes.
  • Precisely handle materials inside and outside of laboratory containment devices, such as fume hoods or gloveboxes.
  • Operate analytical equipment at a bench.
  • 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.

Working at Sila

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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