Long-Duration Energy Storage: Our Portfolio Company E-Zinc is Hiring

As decarbonization becomes a global priority, the power-generation sector has a central role to play in a net zero future. However, in order to significantly increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources, it is essential for energy storage solutions to operate and store power on an as-needed basis for periods longer than 12 hours. To enable this necessary supply of clean energy both on-and-off the grid, our portfolio company e-Zinc is unlocking long-term energy storage by utilizing the electrochemical potential of zinc metal.

Based in Toronto, Canada, e-Zinc’s team includes experts within renewables, battery chemistry, manufacturing, and energy storage systems– and they are hiring! Having recently announced its Series A round, which Toyota Ventures proudly participated in, e-Zinc is rapidly expanding its team and operations to bring its technology to market and support the renewable energy transformation.

If you are interested in joining a mission-driven team committed to developing the world’s most affordable and reliable long-duration energy storage product, e-Zinc has a number of exciting opportunities available on the Toyota Ventures jobs board including these two key roles: Manufacturing Director — New Product Introduction and Director, Battery Test Lab.

Manufacturing Director — New Product Introduction (Toronto, Ontario)

E-Zinc is in search of a manufacturing director — new product introduction to lead development of the company’s manufacturing strategy and achieve aggressive cost targets for mass production of the company’s electrochemical cell. Reporting to the vice president of engineering, this role will focus on developing e-Zinc’s manufacturing capabilities — including, but not limited to: ​​hiring and training staff; designing the new factory layout; developing production processes by using DFM strategies; creating tooling jigs and fixtures; assembling and commissioning new assembly lines; and working closely with the design department to ensure that the product is designed for manufacturability.

This person, with the support of the production team, will be accountable for all plant material flow, plant layout and equipment selection, plant hygiene and safety, and documentation of assembly procedures, “as build” serial production, and quality records. Additionally, the new manufacturing director will participate in or lead specific projects, supervise production engineers and assembly personnel, as well as engage manufacturing partners to make or source parts depending on the needs of the company.

Strong candidates will have a degree in mechanical, electrical or industrial engineering, with 10–15 years of experience running a manufacturing line or production facility. You should also be registered as a professional engineer (or have the ability to qualify), have experience building a new production line, and a demonstrated ability to train, lead and manage production staff.

Director, Battery Test Lab (Toronto, Ontario)

E-Zinc is also looking for an experienced electro-chemical battery development engineer to lead its Battery Test Lab and run the product development test program for the company’s Zinc-Air Energy Storage Cell. In this role, you’ll be responsible for uptime of the test lab to support the overall engineering product development timeline, and managing expansion of the lab in terms of space, equipment and staff. Other responsibilities include l leading the team in testing/troubleshooting/measuring and documenting the cell performance, and conducting special investigations and experiments on purpose-built prototypes.

Strong candidates for this position will have an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering, materials science, or engineering physics with 10+ years of experience in product development, engineering or manufacturing of battery cells, or relevant electrochemical processes. Advanced degrees are preferred, but not required. Additionally, you should have a solid understanding of product development, including product specifications, design, prototyping, tooling, manufacturing, budgeting, etc. Additional requirements include a strong working knowledge of corrosion and materials compatibility and fluid mechanics and design of air delivery systems, as well as a high degree of proficiency in mass/energy balance modeling.

Learn more about a career at e-Zinc and explore other job opportunities on the Toyota Ventures jobs board. A number of our portfolio companies are also recruiting right now, so be sure to sign up for the Toyota Ventures Talent Network.