Director – Stack Testing

**1\. Test Strategy & Execution** * Define and execute testing protocols with scientific rigor: establish electrochemistry-grounded hypotheses, design tests to validate or refute them, and quantify all findings (degradation rates, failure mechanisms, performance bounds) while documenting analytical-technique limitations. * Use DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) as the primary framework for test plan development, ensuring every failure mode has a detection method and test protocol that validates the reliability roadmap. * Document all test decisions with scientific and cost rationale, avoiding trial-and-error. **2\. Infrastructure & Lab Management** * Oversee design, procurement, and scaling of testing facilities and test benches (hardware, electrical, fluidic, and safety systems). * Establish testing facility operational targets: uptime, data quality, cost per test hour, and capability maturity. * Ensure all safety aspects are considered during procurement and deployment of testing equipment. **3\. Data & Diagnostics** * Implement and manage advanced diagnostics—Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Cell Voltage Monitoring (CVM)—to analyze performance and map degradation. * Establish data-quality standards and ensure test data feeds structured analysis pipelines for reliability and design teams. **4\. Failure Analysis & Root Cause** * Lead root-cause analysis (RCA) and post-mortem investigations on test articles to identify failure modes and improve stack design. * Translate test findings into actionable engineering conclusions with documented hypothesis validation. **5\. Team Leadership & Development** * Build and mentor a high-performing team of engineers and scientists specializing in electrochemical testing and diagnostics. * Build a team culture of quantified reasoning, structured technical discourse, and ownership accountability. * Establish regular technical deep-dive forums where hypotheses are tested, data interpreted rigorously, and design implications debated openly. **6\. Communication & Technical Rigor** * Lead structured technical discussions with clear agendas, documented outcomes, and full team participation. * Set a regular cadence: staff meetings focused on technical deep dives (not status updates); cross-functional syncs with R&D, Manufacturing, and Product; and DFMEA/PFMEA reviews in structured forums. * Communicate technical decisions and rationale in writing so the team sees the reasoning and can provide input. * Communicate timelines with specific dates and contingencies, not vague terms like 'soon,' 'ASAP,' or 'next month.' **7\. Ownership & Accountability** * Own all aspects of your domain—infrastructure, timelines, staffing, and budgets—with full transparency about achievements and setbacks. * Communicate with conviction backed by data; when challenges arise, escalate early with clear context rather than hoping to catch up later. * Model the principle: 'We will not just do our best, we will get things done.' **8\. Timeline Management & Execution** * Set realistic timelines with built-in contingency, substantiating any schedule changes with root-cause analysis. * Track action items rigorously and escalate proactively when setbacks occur or resources are needed. **9\. Cross-Functional Collaboration** * Partner with the Stack Reliability Director on test findings and design implications. Sync regularly with R&D on test requirements, Manufacturing on production readiness, and Product on roadmap alignment. * Present all findings in structured technical forums with quantified data, not in side conversations. * Feed diagnostics and test data to the Reliability team for RCA and design feedback. **10\. Economic Awareness & Cost Transparency** * Integrate cost and lifecycle economic analysis into technical decisions. * When proposing infrastructure, facility scaling, or component upgrades, include component-level cost breakdowns and sensitivity analyses. * Ensure $/performance metrics include unit-cost context to prevent misinterpretation if supplier pricing changes. **Qualifications** * B.Tech/M.Tech in Chemical, Materials Science, Metallurgy, or Electrochemistry with 15+ years in electrolyzer stack, battery or fuel cell testing. * Deep expertise in electrochemistry, characterization techniques (CV, LSV, EIS), testing protocols, safety, and regulatory compliance for electrolyzer/battery systems. * Proven track record directing engineering teams, interfacing with cross-functional R&D, and managing test-lab budgets. * Strong data analysis skills, proficiency with reliability tools and statistical software (Minitab, JMP, or equivalent). * Exceptional communication, leadership, and organizational skills. * Sound judgment on the limits of diagnostic and characterization tools—avoiding over-interpretation beyond their technical scope. **Preferred Qualifications** * Experience building and scaling testing facilities from concept through operational maturity. * Track record of systematizing team processes and driving measurable improvements. * Evidence of teaching others scientific reasoning and hypothesis-driven engineering, not just managing tasks. * Experience with DFMEA and PFMEA methodologies applied to test strategy development. * 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 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, diagnostics, and failure mechanisms specific to PEM electrolyzers. This role will not be successful if the candidate: * Prefers 'best effort' over systematic, accountable delivery, or communicates vaguely on timelines. * Treats technical deep dives as status meetings, or avoids escalating problems until they become critical. * Resists decisions on incomplete information, or defaults to trial-and-error over hypothesis-driven engineering. **Success Metrics (18-Month Horizon)** * Qualification plan completed on schedule with documented scientific basis and RCA traceability. * Facility maturity: >90% uptime, ≥95% data quality, cost per test hour on target. * Team capability: all reports can independently design test protocols with scientific hypotheses and DFMEA integration. * RCA closure rate: >85% of design changes traced to root cause; zero high-safety incidents, all protocols audited annually. **Skills:-** Battery Systems, Durability Testing, Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Electrochemical Test, Fuel Cells, Hydrogen, Reliability Testing, System Testing, Test Execution, Testing Protocols **Education: -** Bachelor of Engineering / Bachelor of Technology (B.E./B.Tech) - Chemical Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering / Bachelor of Technology (B.E./B.Tech) - Materials Science, Bachelor of Engineering / Bachelor of Technology (B.E./B.Tech) - Metallurgical Engineering _Ohmium is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees._