ASP Intern, Autonomous Electrochemistry

Lila Sciences • Cambridge, MA

4d

About The Position

We are seeking a motivated and innovative intern to join our electrochemistry team. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in developing and optimizing automated electrochemical synthesis and testing workflows. This hands-on position involves designing and building custom prototypes, planning and executing experiments across both aqueous and non-aqueous chemistries, characterizing resulting materials, and employing data-driven approaches to systematically enhance outcomes. This role is at the intersection of materials science, chemistry, and laboratory automation, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research and development.

Requirements

• PhD, Master's degree, or current enrollment in Electrochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related field.
• Hands-on experience with electrochemical testing techniques (e.g., CV, EIS, Chronotechniques, battery cycling, fuel-cell testing) and related analytical tools (e.g., liquid/gas FTIR, GC, HPLC, ICP, MS, NMR).
• Demonstrated ability to plan and execute laboratory experiments safely and independently.
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills, particularly in Python.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with electrode modification strategies.
• Knowledge of heterogeneous and homogeneous electrochemistry.
• Familiarity with operando techniques for real-time analysis and monitoring.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360).
• Familiarity with additive manufacturing processes and post-processing.
• Experience designing flow-cells or custom electrochemical reactors.
• Knowledge of sealing strategies for aggressive electrolytes and high-temperature operations.
• Basic electronics or embedded-systems background for integrating sensors and control loops.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to maintain detailed experimental records.
• Effective communicator with the ability to work collaboratively in a research team setting.

Responsibilities

• Rapid Prototyping of Electrochemical Cells: Utilize in-house additive manufacturing (3D FDM or SLA printing) or laser cutting to produce custom components. Source and integrate commercially available fittings, membranes, and sensors. Establish assembly SOPs to ensure reproducibility and safe handling of reactive materials.
• Design, Plan, and Execute Experiments: Design and conduct iterative electrochemical synthesis and testing experiments using both manual and automated platforms. Use results from each round to guide subsequent experiments and improve target properties.
• Work Across Chemistries: Develop and adapt synthesis, characterization, and testing protocols for both batch and flow electrochemical systems.
• Characterize Materials: Perform liquid and gas characterization of reactants and products to assess and track progress toward target specifications.
• Workflow and Design Optimization: Systematically vary experimental workflows and prototype optimizations to understand their impact on outcomes.
• Document and Share Results: Maintain organized records of experiments and findings to support ongoing and future research efforts.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern