Elestor has a job opportunity for a: Lead Researcher – Electrochemical Stack Development
Do you want to power the energy transition? Are you a team player; ready to take on varied and complex challenges?
We are proud to be a fast-growing and innovative company in The Netherlands, developing breakthrough hydrogen-iron flow battery technology. Elestor offers exciting and competitive career opportunities with plenty of scope for both personal and professional development.
Position
As a Lead Researcher, you play a key role in the execution and coordination of stack testing activities within the Stack R&D team. You combine hands-on laboratory work with technical guidance, helping researchers translate test results into actionable insights while clarifying and elaborating the stack roadmap and guiding them to its fulfilment.
A key objective of this role is to provide expertise, practical guidance, and structure to testing and research activities within the Stack R&D team in addition to increasing the testing capabilities. You act as a technical reference point for the team, helping researchers understand the broader context behind development activities, technical decisions, testing priorities, and roadmap objectives.
Your primary focus is on guiding the electrochemical testing team progress through the stack technical roadmap and ensure the development of Elestor’s technology. You help define priorities, provide clarity on the rationale behind investigations, and ensure that testing activities are aligned with development objectives, milestones, and deliverables.
A key aspect of the role is connecting laboratory systems, stack testing, stack design, and system development. By combining practical testing experience with a strong understanding of electrochemical systems, you help identify root causes of performance issues, support troubleshooting activities, and translate findings into recommendations for stack design improvements.
The role combines hands-on laboratory work, test planning, data analysis, technical problem-solving, documentation, and mentoring of researchers. You are expected to spend a significant portion of your time in the laboratory, supporting testing activities and helping the team overcome technical challenges.
You report directly to the Stack Architect, who is responsible for the overall technology vision, stack architecture, and long-term development roadmap. Within this framework, you support the execution of the Stack R&D roadmap by translating development objectives into testing activities and research priorities. You provide day-to-day technical guidance to researchers, help maintain focus on agreed objectives and deliverables, and contribute to the successful completion of research and testing programs.
This position focuses on technical expertise, hands-on execution, mentoring, and scientific guidance. While you support and coach team members in their professional development, the role does not include formal people management responsibilities.
Tasks and responsibilities
Technical Leadership
- Act as a technical lead for stack testing activities within the Stack R&D team.
- Provide technical guidance on Hydrogen-Iron chemistry, electrochemical cells, membranes, electrodes, electrolytes, stack behaviour, and system operation.
- Serve as a technical reference point for researchers and colleagues on electrochemical testing, stack performance, and laboratory systems.
- Support the Stack Architect in the technical development of team members and contribute to a collaborative and effective team environment.
- Mentor, train, and support new team members in the execution of testing activities, data interpretation, and technical problem-solving.
- Help researchers understand how testing activities contribute to the broader Stack R&D roadmap, development objectives, and technology strategy.
- Share your experience on the best practices and promote a structured, data-driven approach to experimental work.
Testing Program Execution
- Support the Stack Architect in translating the Stack R&D roadmap into testing activities, research priorities, milestones, and deliverables.
- Plan, coordinate, and execute stack testing activities in line with agreed objectives, timelines, and quality standards.
- Coordinate and prioritize testing activities based on development priorities, technical risks, and business objectives.
- Track progress of testing programs, monitor milestones and deliverables, and support the successful completion of research activities.
- Ensure testing activities remain focused on agreed objectives, program boundaries, and project goals.
- Provide technical context and explain the rationale behind testing activities, experimental approaches, development priorities, and technical decisions.
Testing and Technology Development
- Lead and support electrochemical testing activities, including ex-situ, in-operando, and post-mortem investigations.
- Train and guide new team members in the use of electrochemical laboratory systems, testing methodologies, and experimental procedures.
- Support the development, optimization, and effective use of laboratory systems and testing facilities.
- Investigate and resolve technical challenges related to stack performance, laboratory systems, and testing activities.
- Critically evaluate test plans, experimental results, technical proposals, and development recommendations.
- Translate testing outcomes and research findings into recommendations for stack design improvements and future development activities.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Act as the technical link between laboratory systems, stack testing, stack design, and system development.
- Facilitate effective collaboration between R&D, testing, engineering, and system development teams.
- Contribute technical insights to support design decisions, troubleshooting activities, and technology development.
- Support the Stack Architect in the continuous development of Stack R&D testing capabilities, laboratory facilities, and team expertise.
- Initiate and support technical discussions with suppliers regarding components, services, testing equipment, and potential technical solutions.
Profile
You are an experienced electrochemical researcher with a strong technical foundation and a passion for advancing innovative energy technologies. You combine hands-on laboratory expertise with the ability to guide researchers, coordinate testing activities, and provide clear technical direction.
Your primary focus is on electrochemical stack testing and the generation of high-quality experimental data that supports technology development. You enjoy working in a laboratory environment, investigating technical challenges, interpreting complex test results, and translating findings into actionable recommendations.
You are able to bring structure to complex development activities by setting priorities, maintaining focus on objectives, and helping the team understand the technical reasoning behind decisions, testing strategies, and development plans. You naturally provide clarity, create alignment, and help researchers understand how their work contributes to broader development goals.
You work effectively across disciplines and act as a technical link between laboratory systems, stack testing, stack design, and system development. With a strong analytical mindset, you are able to critically assess test plans, experimental data, and technical proposals, helping the team make informed decisions and solve complex technical problems.
You communicate clearly and collaborate effectively with colleagues from a variety of technical backgrounds. Through your technical expertise, structured approach, and willingness to actively contribute to testing activities, you help the team achieve ambitious development goals and successfully deliver research programs.
Education, Skills and Experience
- MSc or PhD in Electrochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Minimum 4 years of experience in testing and/or developing electrochemical stacks or related electrochemical technologies.
- Proven experience in leading research projects and guiding them towards successful completion.
- Experience in guiding researchers within an electrochemistry laboratory environment.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary development environments involving research, testing, and engineering activities.
- In-depth understanding of electrochemical cells, electrochemical systems, and stack testing methodologies.
- Hands-on experience with electrochemical testing, including ex-situ, in-operando, and post-mortem techniques.
- Strong ability to analyse, interpret, and challenge experimental results and technical data.
- Ability to identify root causes of performance issues and translate findings into practical recommendations.
- Demonstrated capability to prioritize testing and research activities in line with development objectives.
- Ability to plan, coordinate, and track testing activities towards defined milestones and deliverables.
- Ability to maintain focus on agreed objectives while balancing technical priorities, timelines, and resource constraints.
- Ability to communicate technical rationale, development priorities, testing strategies, and roadmap objectives to researchers and stakeholders.
- Strong planning, organizational, and project execution skills.
- Ability to critically evaluate test plans, technical proposals, and development strategies.
- Experience engaging with suppliers and assessing potential technical solutions.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Fluency in English.
Elestor's Mission & Relevance
Imagine a world without polluting power plants, powered purely by clean electricity…
This world is closer than you think. The sun and the wind are powerful enough, and so are the technologies to harvest their energy. However, possibilities to store renewable energy (sustainably, cost-effectively) are lacking; Long-Duration Electricity Storage (LDES) is ‘’the missing link’’ in the energy transition.
It is Elestor’s mission to cut the cost of electricity storage. We develop large-scale, cost-effective H2-FE storage technologies technologies that are carbon neutral and durable, thereby unifying the interests of the planet, people, and business profitability.
Elestor - Facts & Figures
Long Duration Electricity Storage deep tech company
- Winner of several (inter-)national awards
Ultra rapid growth path; Elestor is expanding in every direction
- Passionate team of 35 highly skilled professionals
- Closed €30M funding round in August 2022
Concrete and very fast-growing international market pull
- Agreements with clients strategically adopting the innovative storage technology in commercial settings
Technology & Roadmap
Elestor has been recognised as one of the 10 most innovative companies in the Netherlands by both the University of Amsterdam and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. The revolutionary low-cost flow battery systems have received several (inter)national awards in recognition of the ability to reduce the cost of storing electricity to an absolute minimum. For more understanding, feel free to visit Elestor's website. Here you'll find more about the underlying fundamentals and the triple cost reduction strategy, making Elestor’s solution unique on the world stage.
Elestor is backed by a €30 million investment and is now ready to implement an ultra-rapid growth strategy to accelerate the commercialisation and operationalization of its proven hydrogen-iron-flow battery technology. The segment is expected to represent a market potential of approximately €20 billion by 2030. The international market pull is already concrete and very fast growing.
People & Growth
At Elestor you will be in the middle of genuinely unprecedented developments, made possible by an international group of researchers and engineers of remarkable talent and diversity. In future years, the company will expand literally in every direction. In anticipation of this steep growth, Elestor will look forward to meeting sincere, thoughtful, and entrepreneurial individuals feeling energized to empower necessary change: towards a 100% clean electricity supply.
Our offer
Elestor offers an open, action-oriented and exciting working environment in a diverse and international team of highly skilled professionals. The company has a flat management structure and offers many opportunities to excel and grow.
Terms of employment are competitive and include participation in a Stock Appreciation Rights (SAR) program. When we succeed, we all benefit. Especially in caring for what we share the most: a healthy planet!