Staff Embedded Firmware Engineer

SandboxAQ introduces Solid-State Battery modeling AI. By Battery Power Online Staff April 9, 2026 | SandboxAQ is releasing AQVolt26, a specialized dataset and suite of machine-learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) designed to accelerate the discovery of next-generation solid-state battery materials. Containing 322,656 high-fidelity Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations of lithium halide electrolytes at the rigorous r2SCAN level of theory, AQVolt26 addresses a critical bottleneck in computational materials science: accurately modeling the complex, high-temperature dynamics required to simulate battery performance. Leveraging GCP and NVIDIA DGX H100 cloud hardware, SandboxAQ created AQVolt26 to help transition the industry from slow, iterative lab-based synthesis to rapid, AI-driven computation. SandboxAQ drives impact at scale through Large Quantitative Models (LQMs), AI models trained on rigorous scientific, rather than linguistic, data. AQVolt26 builds on a multi-year effort to transform battery and energy storage materials R&D through AI LQMs. AQVolt26 brings LQMs into materials discovery for next-generation batteries, complementing prior work in performance prediction and lifecycle modeling. Challenges in Modeling Solid-State Battery Materials For the electric vehicle (EV), consumer electronics, defense, grid energy storage markets, the transition to All-Solid-State Batteries (ASSBs) promises higher energy densities and the elimination of flammable liquid electrolytes. Among the leading candidates for solid electrolytes are halides, which offer superior ionic mobility, wide electrochemical stability, and the mechanical deformability necessary to maintain robust interfacial contact within the battery. Discovering and optimizing these materials requires massive computational screening to project the rate of ion movement. While traditional DFT calculations are prohibitively expensive for large-scale dynamic simulations, SandboxAQ believes AI-driven machine-learned force fields can run these simulations thousands of times faster. Recent foundational open-source datasets, such as MatPES, MP-ALOE, and the Materials Project, have driven progress in this field, enabling the creation of highly capable, universal foundation potentials with broad coverage of the periodic table. However, dynamically "soft" materials like halogenated solid-state electrolytes present a unique edge case. Their highly polarizable anions create shallow potential energy basins, meaning atoms undergo extreme distortion at the elevated temperatures (>1,000 K) required to computationally simulate ion transport, the company explains. Foundational potentials, while exceptional for general-purpose applications and stable chemistries, may experience a critical force-energy asymmetry when confronted with these highly specific, far-from-equilibrium states. How AQVolt26 Solves the High-Temperature Modeling Gap AQVolt26 does not replace foundational datasets; rather, it serves as a highly targeted complement to resolve this high-temperature blind spot. By specifically mapping the highly anharmonic, molten-sublattice configurational landscape of lithium halide materials, AQVolt26 allows universal models to maintain physical consistency under extreme conditions. When co-trained with MatPES and MP-ALOE, AQVolt26 models provide three critical advantages for battery development: * Maps Extreme High-Temperature States: AQVolt26 was generated through surrogate-driven high-temperature phase space exploration. By explicitly exposing the models to highly distorted atomic environments, the AI is prevented from algorithmically failing during the dynamic simulations required to screen active batteries. * High-Fidelity r2SCAN Calculations: Building on the gold standard established by MatPES, AQVolt26 uses the r2SCAN meta-GGA functional. This ensures a highly accurate representation of the complex coordination environments and mid-range dispersive interactions inherent in soft halide lattices. * Unprecedented Dynamic Stability: The eSEN models being released demonstrate exceptional algorithmic robustness. In rigorous static stress tests evaluating potential energy surfaces under extreme +/-20% lattice deformations (via the public MLIP Arena benchmark), the models achieved a near-zero failure rate of 0.2% and perfect monotonic energy scaling, far outperforming existing baselines. For battery manufacturers and automotive OEMs, AQVolt26 represents a significant reduction in computational cost and experimental risk, the company claims. By co-training with AQVolt26 alongside near-equilibrium data, they have bridged the gap between strict 0 K ground-state precision and high-temperature dynamic robustness. This allows researchers to confidently run high-throughput screening for ionic conductivity on novel battery materials without sacrificing accuracy or stability.

SandboxAQ's Kathryn Wang accepts 2026 Wash100 Award. Kathryn Wang, principal for the public sector at SandboxAQ, has received the 2026 Wash100 Award in recognition of her leadership in advancing artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and cybersecurity innovation to support national security missions. Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award, presented the honor to Wang at a recent 4x24 Leadership Program dinner. You can still vote for Wang in the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition at Wash100.com. Why did Kathryn Wang win the 2026 Wash100 Award? This year marks the first time that Wang has won a Wash100 Award. She is recognized for contributing to mission-driven innovation, particularly through efforts that strengthen cryptographic resilience and advance the federal government's transition to post-quantum security. "We're excited to celebrate Kathryn's first Wash100 Award, a well-deserved milestone that highlights her growing influence and innovative spirit in GovCon," Garrettson said. "Kathryn brings a rare combination of strategic insight, technical forward-thinking and mission focus, and this inaugural Wash100 honor is a powerful signal of the lasting impact she is poised to make across federal technology and national security," Garrettson added. A key element of Wang's contributions is SandboxAQ's deployment of the AQtive Guard platform under a five-year agreement with the Department of War. Launched in April 2025, the AI-enabled tool is designed to identify, assess and manage cryptographic assets across enterprise environments, providing visibility into vulnerabilities, dependencies and risks. SandboxAQ is also collaborating with the Defense Innovation Unit under the Transition of Quantum Sensing program. The effort includes the deployment of AQNav software, which enables position, navigation and timing capabilities without reliance on GPS signals to bolster resilience in contested or denied environments. Beyond program execution, Wang has contributed to broader discussions on emerging technology risks and opportunities. In a 2025 podcast appearance, she highlighted the importance of balancing AI adoption with risk awareness, including concerns around vulnerabilities and data integrity. She has also participated in multiple Potomac Officers Club events, including the 2025 Cyber Summit and the 2026 Defense R&D Summit, to share insights on defense cybersecurity, zero trust and quantum innovation. Reflecting on her Wash100 win, Wang emphasized the importance of mission-driven innovation. "We stand at a frontier where AI and quantum offer us the keys to the universe. Our mission of cyber resilience is the anchor that allows us to innovate with purpose," she said. "It is the quiet, unbreakable promise that no matter how the digital storm rages, our national resolve and our warfighter's edge will remain undimmed and undisputed." Who is Kathryn Wang? Wang is a technology and cybersecurity executive focused on building partnerships and advancing innovation across public and private sector environments. She joined SandboxAQ in November 2024 as principal for the public sector, where she works to expand adoption of post-quantum cryptography and strengthen collaboration between the government and the private sector. Prior to SandboxAQ, Wang held leadership roles at cybersecurity firm HUMAN, where she most recently served as vice president of partnerships and sales. She also spent time leading business development and go-to-market efforts across U.S. and international markets at Google. She is the founder of Ctrl+Alt+Defeat.io, an organization focused on identifying and delivering emerging technologies to government and commercial customers. In addition to her industry work, Wang is active in nonprofit organizations supporting cybersecurity workforce development. She serves as co-chair of the Uniting Women in Cyber initiative under The Cyber Guild and as a board adviser to Building Cyber Security. What is the Wash100 Award? Founded in 2014, the Wash100 Award is an honor conferred annually to the 100 most influential leaders across government and the government contracting sector, whose contributions and visions directly impact federal missions. Honorees are selected based on their successes over the past year and their potential to revolutionize the GovCon landscape in the years to come. Executive Mosaic congratulates Wang and the SandboxAQ team on this achievement. Vote for Kathryn Wang in the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition by visiting Wash100.com. Share the Post: