Purpose of the Role
Senior Scientist – Lithium‑ion Battery Materials & Cell Integration
Location: Oxford, UK
Function: Cell Technology – Applied Research
Reports to: Principal Lithium‑ion Battery Scientist
Contract Type: Permanent
Power What’s Next with Agratas
Agratas is building a world‑leading battery business, developing breakthrough cell technologies that will accelerate global electrification. As we expand our UK R&D capability, we are seeking a highly skilled Senior Scientist to join our Applied Research team in Oxford.
This is a rare opportunity to work at the cutting edge of lithium‑ion innovation—driving material integration, degradation understanding, and next‑generation cell performance. If you thrive on scientific challenge, hands‑on experimentation, and translating materials science into real‑world impact, this role offers an exciting platform to shape the future of energy storage.
The Opportunity
As a Senior Scientist, you will lead research focused on how anode, cathode, and cell components interact to influence performance, ageing, and reliability. You’ll combine materials expertise with hands‑on cell build, teardown, and post‑mortem analysis to uncover degradation mechanisms and drive improvements in next‑generation cell designs.
Your insights will directly inform material selection, formulation, and integration strategies—helping Agratas deliver robust, high‑performance battery technologies at scale.
Key Responsibility Areas
What You’ll Be Doing
• Advance active material R&D by developing, integrating, and optimising anode and cathode materials for improved energy density, cycle life, power capability, and safety.
• Apply advanced analytical and electrochemical techniques to build a multiscale understanding of material structure, interfaces, and structure–property–performance relationships.
• Lead cell integration and teardown activities, diagnosing degradation mechanisms and linking cell‑level behaviour back to materials design and processing.
• Validate new materials through rigorous electrochemical and physical testing to ensure compatibility and performance within full cells.
• Collaborate with supply chain teams to assess raw material quality and ensure alignment with performance and sustainability standards.
• Drive next‑generation innovation, including high‑nickel, cobalt‑free, beyond‑Li‑ion, and solid‑state concepts.
• Analyse electrochemical and post‑mortem data to identify performance limitations and optimise formulations, interfaces, and processing routes.
• Work cross‑functionally with materials, electrolyte, and cell design teams to integrate advancements into prototype builds.
• Document and communicate findings through detailed reports and presentations to R&D leadership and project stakeholders.
Job Context
What You’ll Bring
• Deep expertise in battery materials, including NMC, NCA, and emerging chemistries.
• Strong capability in materials validation and testing, including cycling, rate capability, EIS, XRD, SEM/EDX, XPS, and related techniques.
• Ability to link material properties to cell performance and ageing mechanisms.
• Awareness of supply chain considerations, raw material quality, and sustainability requirements.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a track record of optimising materials for improved performance.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively across multidisciplinary R&D teams.
• A commitment to continuous learning and staying at the forefront of Li‑ion and next‑gen battery research.
Qualifications
This role is well‑suited for scientists with:
• A degree or PhD in Electrochemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Hands‑on experience in battery material development, characterisation, and integration.
• A passion for advancing next‑generation cell technologies and translating materials science into scalable solutions.
Why Join Agratas?
At Agratas, you’ll be part of a fast‑growing global organisation committed to innovation, sustainability, and engineering excellence. You’ll work with world‑class scientists and engineers, access cutting‑edge facilities, and contribute to technologies that will power a cleaner, electrified future.
Ready to Shape the Future of Energy Storage?
If you’re excited by the opportunity to drive next‑generation battery innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and help us build what’s next.
