7-Fuel Cell Project Engineer - Materials Characterization and Development (MM)

General Motors encompasses many of the world's leading car and truck brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Saturn, HUMMER, Saab, Opel, Vauxhall, GM Daewoo and Holden, and has alliance partnerships with Isuzu, Subaru and Suzuki. GMAC is one of the largest and most successful financial services companies on earth. GM's parts and accessories brands are GM Goodwrench and ACDelco and our engines and transmissions are marketed through GM Powertrain. GM is also a leader in digital technology and e-business through our Web sites, OnStar in-vehicle communications and XM Radio.





We have an opening for an engineer or scientist to join the Fuel Cell Activities Research Center at our facility in Honeoye Falls, near Rochester, NY.? Successful candidates will join a team with an emphasis on failure analysis, materials development, and specification of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC) materials. The successful candidate should have experience in the field of carbon blacks, including characterization, ink formulation and coatings.

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Employee will: i) provide materials engineering support for PEFC research, development, and commercialization, ii) enable fuel cell component and hardware development through material characterization, failure analysis, materials selection and specification, and fabrication process selection and development,? iii) apply advanced ex-situ characterization and diagnostic methods to understand fundamental mechanisms, iv) plan work, perform characterization, oversee characterization, oversee experiments, analyze data, draw conclusions, report results, and interface with materials labs and suppliers.Ability to generate concepts for new materials as well as to independently develop and execute a research plan to test those materials. Ability to fabricate various fuel cell components on laboratory scale using both standard and novel materials as well as to develop and execute test plans to assess value of materials for fuel cell application.Ability to link material characteristics and processing parameters. Ability to identify and delegate appropriate work and projects for laboratory technicians. Ability to impact projects by reading, understanding, and applying technical literature. Ability to interface effectively with technical experts both within and outside General Motors. Ability to effectively interface with material suppliers by communicating targets, receiving and testing materials, feeding back results, and making recommendations for next steps. Ability to contribute to generation of patentable concepts and to document and communicate those ideas to management and patent decision committee. Ability to present results (both verbally and in writing) to a variety of audiences including technicians, peers, technical and non-technical managers.Ability to present results at external technical conferences and to effectively report back to GM on the relevant content from technical conferences.Travels as required







Basic Required:


BS in materials engineering/science, chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, or other colloid chemistry or equivalent experience

Experience with carbon black particle characterization, including physical, chemical, and surface properties:


Surface area, particle size, and structure analysis

Surface or functional group analysis

Wetting characteristics

Thermal and oxidative stability

Experience with carbon black ink formulation and characterization on a laboratory scale:


Dispersibility and stability

Particle size

Viscosity

Electro-kinetic characteristics
Ability to link characterization results to product performance:

Coating quality and microstructure
Electrochemical characteristics
Familiar with principles of colloid chemistry
Interactions in carbon black -- polymer systems (liquid inks)


Basic Preferred:



MS, or PhD degree in materials engineering/science, chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, or other colloid chemistry


R&D experience