Director Stack Reliability

Job Description:

Key Responsibilities

• Define the reliability roadmap and targets for stack life degradation rate and availability grounded in electrochemical first-principles spearhead Design for Reliability (DfR) and Manufacturability (DfM) across all stack generations.
• Make DFMEA/PFMEA primary tools (not afterthoughts) linking each failure mode to a test or design control quantify all reliability claims with documented analytical basis.
• Design accelerated life testing (ALT) protocols and oversee the DVP&R to validate stack components under varied transient loads pressures and temperatures.
• Implement stack diagnostics (EIS Cyclic Voltammetry) to monitor decay and find root causes while respecting the limits of each characterization tool and avoiding over-interpretation.
• Lead structured technical discussions own root cause analysis on test data from the Testing Director and translate field feedback into design changes with closed-loop tracking.
• Collaborate with Materials Science on membrane catalyst and GDL resilience and with Manufacturing/Supply Chain on FAI and IQC metrics tied to reliability.
• Establish a regular communication cadence (technical deep-dives cross-functional syncs DFMEA/PFMEA reviews) communicate decisions in writing with supporting data and specific timelinesnever vague terms like soon or ASAP.
• Own your full domainroadmap qualification plans design changes timelines staffing and budgetswith transparency on both wins and setbacks escalate early with clear context.
• Set realistic timelines with built-in contingency plan alternate approaches rather than assuming success and document timeline decisions and their reasoning.
• Integrate cost and lifecycle economics into design decisions including component-level cost breakdowns and sensitivity analyses so $/reliability metrics carry unit-cost context.

Required Qualifications

• in Chemical Materials Science Metallurgy or Electrochemistry with a minimum 15 years of experience in electrolyzer stack development batteries or fuel cell development.
• Deep knowledge in electrochemical characterization techniques (CV LSV EIS) electrochemical degradation mechanisms safety protocols and regulatory compliance for electrolyzer/batteries.
• Proven ability to bridge engineering and operational teams to drive measurable product improvements.
• Strong data analysis skills proficiency with reliability tools and statistical software (Minitab JMP or equivalent).
• Exceptional communication leadership and organizational skills.
• Understand the limits of diagnostic and characterization tools (EIS CV electron microscopy etc.). Know what each tool can and cannot reliably tell you. Avoid over-interpreting results beyond their technical scope.

Preferred Qualifications

• Track record of systematizing reliability processes and driving measurable improvements across teams.
• Evidence of teaching others scientific reasoning and hypothesis-driven engineering not just managing tasks.
• Extensive experience with DFMEA and PFMEA methodologies applied to design and manufacturing processes.
• Field experience with deployed electrochemical systems and real-world degradation analysis.
• Familiarity with renewable energy or electrochemical energy storage systems.

Leadership Philosophy & Cultural Fit

This role requires comfort with:

• Quantified decision-making: decisions backed by data not opinions.
• Structured communication: technical rigor in staff meetings written rationale for design changes.
• Ownership accountability: transparent reporting of both progress and setbacks.
• Avoiding hope-based planning: planning contingencies escalating early not assuming success.
• Continuous scientific learning: staying current on electrochemistry degradation mechanisms and characterization techniques.

This role will not be successful if the candidate:

• Prefers best effort over systematic accountable delivery.
• Communicates vaguely on timelines (soon ASAP next week instead of specific dates).
• Treats technical deep dives as status meetings.
• Avoids escalating problems until they become critical.
• Resists making decisions with incomplete information (needs perfect data not good enough).
• Defaults to trial-and-error approaches instead of hypothesis-driven first-principles engineering.

Success Metrics (18-Month Horizon)

• DfR roadmap completed with quantified targets (e.g. 80k-hour stack life <5% degradation/year) and documented first-principles basis.
• ALT protocols designed and validated for 2 product generations integrated into qualification plans with hypothesis validation.
• Design changes driven by field data with documented root cause analysis and closed-loop corrective action tracking (>80% closure rate).
• Team execution of DFMEA/PFMEA: zero checkbox artifacts; all failure modes linked to verification methods with clear traceability.
• Qualification plans approved by cross-functional leadership and baseline-lined with clear success criteria.

Ohmium is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.