How to Apply to SK On

10 min read Last updated April 20, 2026 6 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • SK On is one of the global top-five EV battery makers, headquartered in Seoul with major plants in Georgia, Tennessee, Hungary, and China, and approximately 12,000 employees worldwide.
  • The company uses different applicant tracking systems by entity: SK Battery America uses ADP (myjobs.adp.com/extcsskbatteryam/cx), the BlueOval SK joint venture used Workday until its early-2026 dissolution, and Korea HQ uses the SK Careers Portal at recruit.sk.com.
  • Korea-based hiring requires passing the SKCT competency test, conducted in Korean, before any interviews. There is no exception for foreign applicants targeting HQ roles.
  • SK On is hiring selectively in 2026: growth areas include LFP conversion, ESS, solid-state R&D, the Hyundai JV in Bartow County, and EHS leadership. Headcount is shrinking in legacy NCM lines tied to canceled OEM programs like the Ford F-150 Lightning.
  • Resume keywords that matter most: NCM 9 1/2 1/2, pouch cell, electrode, formation, gigafactory, LFP, solid-state, Hyundai, Volkswagen, IATF 16949, OEE, and yield improvement metrics quantified in percentage points.
  • Interviews are formal and hierarchical. Expect technical depth questions, behavioral questions oriented toward team commitment and perseverance, and at least one interviewer who is a Korean expatriate manager, even at US plants.
  • Bilingual candidates are dramatically accelerated. English plus Korean is the highest-value combination, with English plus German, Mandarin, or Turkish unlocking plant-specific tracks.
  • Salary bands are standardized and negotiation room is limited, but signing bonuses, relocation packages, and expatriate allowances are available for senior or cross-border roles.
  • Stability matters. SK On screens for candidates with three-plus years in recent roles and is skeptical of frequent job-hoppers, especially for senior or R&D positions.

About SK On

SK On is one of the world's largest manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, headquartered in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The company was spun off from SK Innovation in October 2021 to focus exclusively on the EV battery business, and remains a wholly-owned subsidiary of SK Innovation, which itself sits within SK Group, the second-largest chaebol in South Korea by revenue. SK On employs roughly 12,000 people globally across R&D centers, gigafactories, and corporate offices in South Korea, the United States, Hungary, China, and Türkiye. Its global research headquarters is concentrated in Daejeon, where SK Innovation operates the Battery Research Institute that drives cell chemistry, materials, and manufacturing innovation. SK On is best known for high-nickel NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) pouch cells, including the industry-leading NCM 9 1/2 1/2 chemistry, which delivers higher energy density and longer driving range than conventional NCM 622 or NCM 811 formulations. The company supplies cells and modules to a roster of major automakers including Hyundai Motor Group, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, and US EV startup Slate Auto. Although SK On and Ford agreed in late 2025 to dissolve their BlueOval SK joint venture in early 2026, dividing the three Kentucky and Tennessee plants between them, SK On retained full ownership of its Tennessee facility and continues to operate its 22 GWh Commerce, Georgia plant under SK Battery America. The company is also constructing a $5 billion joint venture battery factory with Hyundai Motor Group in Bartow County, Georgia, which began initial production in early 2026. The broader business context is challenging. SK On has reported operating losses since its spin-off, conducted layoffs of nearly 1,000 workers at its Georgia plant in March 2026 amid the EV demand slowdown, and is aggressively diversifying into lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries for energy storage systems with second-half 2026 mass production targeted, plus a solid-state battery commercialization roadmap pointing to 2029. For job seekers, this means SK On is hiring selectively for roles tied to LFP conversion, ESS, solid-state R&D, Hyundai-JV ramp-up, and process engineering, while reducing headcount in legacy NCM lines tied to canceled programs like the Ford F-150 Lightning. Understanding which side of that restructuring a role sits on is essential before applying.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Identify which SK On entity is hiring: corporate Korea roles go through SK Caree

    Identify which SK On entity is hiring: corporate Korea roles go through SK Careers Portal (recruit.sk.com), US plant roles go through SK Battery America's ADP portal (myjobs.adp.com/extcsskbatteryam/cx), and the BlueOval SK joint venture (now winding down) used Workday at skbosk.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com. The Hungary plant in Komárom posts roles on a separate localized site.

  2. 2
    Create your account on the relevant ATS, complete the profile fields fully (work

    Create your account on the relevant ATS, complete the profile fields fully (work history, education, certifications, work authorization), and upload an ATS-friendly PDF resume. SK Battery America's ADP system parses standard headings well but struggles with multi-column layouts, so use a single-column format.

  3. 3
    If applying to a Korea-based role, prepare for the SKCT (SK Competency Test), a

    If applying to a Korea-based role, prepare for the SKCT (SK Competency Test), a proprietary aptitude and personality assessment that is mandatory for almost all corporate hires and a hard gate before interviews. Practice with publicly available SKCT prep books and sample tests in Korean.

  4. 4
    Expect an HR screening call to verify language ability (Korean for HQ, English f

    Expect an HR screening call to verify language ability (Korean for HQ, English for US/EU plants, both highly valued for any cross-border role), visa status, and salary expectations. SK On is strict about not over-hiring relative to band, so be realistic.

  5. 5
    Move into a technical interview round, typically 60 to 90 minutes, conducted by

    Move into a technical interview round, typically 60 to 90 minutes, conducted by the hiring manager and one or two senior engineers. For battery R&D roles, expect questions on electrochemistry fundamentals, cell failure modes, and your prior experience with specific equipment (calorimeters, X-ray diffraction, glove boxes).

  6. 6
    Complete a final interview with executive leadership or a cross-functional panel

    Complete a final interview with executive leadership or a cross-functional panel, often including HR, the function head, and a Korean expatriate manager. This round assesses culture fit, long-term commitment, and willingness to work within a hierarchical Korean conglomerate environment.

  7. 7
    Receive an offer, typically within two to three weeks of the final interview

    Receive an offer, typically within two to three weeks of the final interview. SK On uses standardized salary bands tied to position level (J1 through P4), so negotiation room is limited but signing bonuses and relocation packages are available for senior or expatriate roles.

Resume Tips for SK On

recommended

Lead with battery-specific keywords that match SK On's stack: NCM (especially NC

Lead with battery-specific keywords that match SK On's stack: NCM (especially NCM 811 and NCM 9 1/2 1/2), pouch cell, lithium-ion, electrode, formation, gigafactory, BMS, cell-to-pack, LFP, and solid-state. The ADP ATS used by SK Battery America does keyword scoring, so missing terminology costs you.

recommended

Quantify manufacturing and process engineering impact in metrics SK On values: y

Quantify manufacturing and process engineering impact in metrics SK On values: yield improvement (percentage points), scrap reduction (dollars or percent), takt time, OEE, ppm defect rate, and capacity ramp milestones. Vague descriptions like 'improved quality' get filtered.

recommended

Highlight any experience with Korean, Japanese, or German automotive OEMs (Hyund

Highlight any experience with Korean, Japanese, or German automotive OEMs (Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, VW, Mercedes, Ford), Tier 1 battery suppliers (LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, CATL, Panasonic), or chemical/materials firms (POSCO, EcoPro, Umicore). SK On respects pedigree from peer companies.

recommended

List specific equipment and software fluency: Toray slot-die coater, Sovema or H

List specific equipment and software fluency: Toray slot-die coater, Sovema or Hirano calendering, Hitachi formation cyclers, Arbin or Maccor testers, ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL, MATLAB, JMP, Minitab, and PLC/SCADA systems (Siemens, Rockwell). Generic 'manufacturing experience' is too thin.

recommended

For corporate or strategy roles, emphasize bilingual capability (English plus Ko

For corporate or strategy roles, emphasize bilingual capability (English plus Korean is gold; English plus Mandarin or German is strong). Note any TOPIK (Korean), JLPT (Japanese), or HSK (Chinese) certifications by level.

recommended

Surface any safety credentials prominently for plant roles: OSHA 30, Certified S

Surface any safety credentials prominently for plant roles: OSHA 30, Certified Safety Professional, Six Sigma Green or Black Belt, ISO 9001/14001/45001 lead auditor, and IATF 16949 experience. SK On's Georgia plants have had safety incidents and are tightening EHS hiring standards.

recommended

Keep formatting strictly single-column, use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Time

Keep formatting strictly single-column, use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman), avoid headers/footers (ADP often misparses them), and submit as PDF unless the portal explicitly asks for .docx. Two pages is acceptable for senior roles, one page preferred for early career.

recommended

If you have publications, patents, or conference presentations in battery scienc

If you have publications, patents, or conference presentations in battery science (Journal of Power Sources, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Nature Energy, ECS Meeting), list them with DOIs in a dedicated section, even for industry roles. SK On's R&D leadership reads them.

ATS System: ADP Workforce Now (US plants) and Workday (former BlueOval SK JV); SK Korea Careers Portal for HQ roles

SK On uses different applicant tracking systems depending on entity and geography. SK Battery America (Commerce, Georgia plant) runs all hiring through ADP at myjobs.adp.com/extcsskbatteryam/cx. The dissolved BlueOval SK joint venture with Ford used Workday at skbosk.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com until early 2026; remaining post-split SK On Tennessee operations are migrating to SK Battery America's ADP system. Korea headquarters and Daejeon R&D roles flow through the SK Careers Portal at recruit.sk.com, which is integrated with the SKCT competency test platform. The Hungary plant in Komárom uses a localized portal. Each system parses single-column PDF resumes well but penalizes multi-column layouts, embedded graphics, and headers or footers. Korea HQ requires SKCT completion before resume review.

  • Submit resumes as single-column PDFs with standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman) and no graphics, headers, or footers, since both ADP and Workday parse these formats most reliably.
  • Front-load battery-specific keywords in your skills and experience sections: NCM, NCM 9 1/2 1/2, pouch cell, electrode, formation, gigafactory, LFP, BMS, IATF 16949, OEE, yield, and Six Sigma.
  • Apply through the official portal for the specific entity rather than aggregator sites like Indeed or ZipRecruiter, which sometimes show stale or inaccurate listings, and verify the URL ends in @sk.com or matches one of the official ATS subdomains.
  • For Korea HQ roles, register on recruit.sk.com early in the recruiting season (March-April for spring intake, September-October for fall intake) and budget time to study for the SKCT, which is administered in Korean only.
  • Complete every optional field in the ADP and Workday profiles, including work authorization status, willingness to relocate, and shift availability, because incomplete applications are deprioritized by recruiters who screen by completeness.

Complete ADP Workforce Now (US plants) and Workday (former BlueOval SK JV); SK Korea Careers Portal for HQ roles Resume Guide →

Interview Culture

SK On's interview culture reflects its identity as a Korean chaebol subsidiary operating global manufacturing assets, and candidates should expect a meaningfully different experience from a Silicon Valley tech interview or a US Big Three automaker process. Interviews are formal, hierarchical, and weighted toward demonstrating both technical depth and long-term loyalty. Even for US-based roles in Georgia or Tennessee, the final decision-makers are often Korean expatriate managers, and the company's headquarters in Seoul retains significant influence over senior hires. For Korea-headquartered roles, the SKCT (SK Competency Test) is the first real gate. It is a multi-hour standardized test covering verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, situational judgment, and personality assessment, conducted in Korean. There is no English version for HQ positions. Failure to pass the SKCT ends the process regardless of resume strength. After SKCT, candidates face a panel interview with HR plus the function head, then a final executive interview. Group discussions and presentation rounds are common for new graduate (sinip) hiring waves. For US plant roles at SK Battery America in Commerce, Georgia or the Tennessee facility, the process is more familiar to American candidates: phone screen with a recruiter, technical interview with the hiring manager, on-site or video panel with cross-functional leaders, and a final discussion with a director or VP. However, expect at least one interviewer to be a Korean expatriate, and expect questions about your willingness to work weekends during ramp-up, accept rotating shifts, and travel to Korea for training. Plants run on a 24/7 cadence, and the company values stamina and team commitment. Behavioral questions skew toward conflict resolution within hierarchical teams ('how do you push back on a senior manager?'), perseverance under deadline pressure ('describe a time you worked weekends to hit a delivery'), and team orientation over individual brilliance ('how have you supported a struggling teammate?'). Questions framed around individual ambition or rapid promotion can land poorly. The taste here is closer to Toyota than Tesla. Dress code is business formal for HQ interviews (suit and tie or equivalent), business professional for US corporate, and business casual for plant-floor technical roles. Bring printed copies of your resume to in-person interviews, even when the recruiter says it is not required. This signals preparation. Send a thank-you email within 24 hours, addressed to each interviewer by their full title, and avoid first-name informality unless explicitly invited.

What SK On Looks For

  • Deep technical fluency in lithium-ion battery chemistry, manufacturing, or systems engineering, with specific experience in pouch cell formats and high-nickel NCM chemistries preferred over LFP-only or cylindrical-only backgrounds.
  • Stability and longevity in prior roles. SK On values candidates with three-plus years at recent employers and is wary of frequent job-hoppers. Two-year stints raise questions; one-year stints often disqualify for senior roles.
  • Demonstrated ability to operate in a hierarchical, structured environment. Candidates from flat-organization startups sometimes struggle in interviews when asked how they would defer to a senior decision they disagreed with.
  • Cross-cultural competence, especially comfort working with Korean management norms (consensus-building, after-hours communication, formal meeting protocols). Prior experience at Hyundai, Samsung, LG, POSCO, or Japanese OEMs is a strong signal.
  • Process discipline and detail orientation. Battery manufacturing is a yield game where a single contamination event can cost millions. SK On screens for candidates who treat documentation, SOPs, and root-cause analysis as core craft, not bureaucracy.
  • Bilingual capability is a major accelerator. English plus Korean is the highest-value combination for HQ liaison roles, but English plus German (Hungary plant), Mandarin (China JVs), or Turkish (planned Türkiye facility) all unlock specific role tracks.
  • Safety-first mindset for plant roles. After EHS incidents at the Georgia facility, SK On is hiring for EHS leadership and screening operator and supervisor candidates harder for safety credentials and behavioral safety experience.
  • Adaptability to a restructuring company. SK On is actively converting NCM lines to LFP, ramping the Hyundai JV, and cutting headcount in legacy programs. Candidates who frame themselves as helpful through change rather than threatened by it perform better in final rounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between SK On, SK Innovation, SK Battery America, and BlueOval SK?
SK Innovation is the parent energy and chemicals subsidiary of SK Group. SK On was spun off from SK Innovation in October 2021 as a dedicated EV battery company and remains wholly-owned by SK Innovation. SK Battery America is SK On's US manufacturing subsidiary that operates the Commerce, Georgia plant. BlueOval SK was a joint venture between Ford and SK On to operate three battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee, but Ford and SK On agreed in late 2025 to dissolve the JV in early 2026 and divide the facilities.
Do I need to speak Korean to work at SK On?
It depends on the role and location. For corporate roles at the Seoul headquarters or R&D positions in Daejeon, Korean fluency is effectively required and the SKCT competency test is administered only in Korean. For US plant roles in Georgia or Tennessee, Korean is not required but is a significant advantage because many senior managers are Korean expatriates and HQ liaison work is constant. For Hungary plant roles, English plus Hungarian or German is preferred. For Türkiye operations, Turkish is preferred.
What is the SKCT and how do I prepare for it?
The SKCT (SK Competency Test) is a proprietary aptitude and personality assessment used by all SK Group affiliates including SK On for Korea-based hiring. It covers verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, situational judgment, and a personality inventory. The test is administered in Korean and typically takes three to four hours. Preparation books are widely available in Korean bookstores and online. There is no widely-published English version, and US-based candidates applying to plant roles do not take the SKCT.
Is SK On still hiring after the 2026 layoffs?
Yes, but selectively. The March 2026 layoffs at the Georgia plant cut roughly 1,000 positions tied to canceled OEM programs and the EV demand slowdown. However, SK On is actively hiring for the Hyundai joint venture facility in Bartow County, Georgia (which began production in early 2026), for LFP battery conversion projects targeting second-half 2026, for solid-state battery R&D in Daejeon, and for EHS leadership across all plants. Check both SK Battery America's ADP portal and the Hyundai-SK On JV postings.
What ATS does SK On use and how should I optimize my resume?
SK Battery America uses ADP at myjobs.adp.com/extcsskbatteryam/cx. The dissolved BlueOval SK JV used Workday at skbosk.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com. SK Korea uses the SK Careers Portal at recruit.sk.com. All three favor single-column resumes with standard headings (Experience, Education, Skills), submitted as PDF, with strong keyword density on battery-specific terms (NCM, pouch cell, electrode, formation, gigafactory, LFP). Avoid graphics, multi-column layouts, and headers or footers, which the parsers handle poorly.
What is the work culture like at SK On?
SK On operates with a Korean chaebol culture that is hierarchical, consensus-driven, and weighted toward long-term commitment over individual ambition. Expect formal communication norms (titles, full names, business attire), structured decision-making that escalates to senior management, after-hours availability for HQ liaison work, and a strong emphasis on team cohesion. US plants in Georgia and Tennessee blend American operational practices with Korean management oversight, which can feel unfamiliar to candidates from flat-organization startups but rewards candidates who value structure and stability.
What are SK On's main customers and battery technologies?
SK On's primary customers include Hyundai Motor Group, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, and US EV startup Slate Auto. Its core technology is high-nickel NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) pouch cells, including the industry-leading NCM 9 1/2 1/2 chemistry. The company is expanding into LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) cells for energy storage systems with second-half 2026 mass production targeted, and is pursuing solid-state battery commercialization on a 2029 timeline.
How long does the SK On interview process take?
For US plant roles at SK Battery America, expect three to five weeks from application to offer: phone screen with HR, technical interview with the hiring manager, on-site or video panel with cross-functional leaders, and final discussion with a director or VP. For Korea HQ roles, the timeline extends to six to eight weeks because the SKCT competency test is scheduled in batches and a final executive interview is required. Senior R&D and director-level roles can take three months or more due to multiple panel rounds.
What benefits does SK On offer in the United States?
SK Battery America offers competitive total compensation packages including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with employer match, paid time off, performance bonuses, relocation assistance for select roles, and tuition reimbursement. Plant operators receive shift differential pay for nights and weekends. Senior expatriate-track roles include international assignment support, language training, and cultural orientation programs. Specific benefit details are shared during the offer stage.
How can I tell if a recruiter contacting me is legitimate?
SK On has publicly warned that all legitimate employee email addresses end in @sk.com. Be cautious of recruiters using Gmail, Yahoo, or other free email services who claim to represent SK On or SK Battery America. Verify the recruiter's LinkedIn profile shows a current SK On or SK Group affiliation with a multi-year tenure, cross-reference the job posting against the official ADP portal at myjobs.adp.com/extcsskbatteryam/cx or the SK Careers Portal at recruit.sk.com, and never pay fees, share bank details, or buy equipment as part of an application. Legitimate SK On hiring never requires upfront payment.

Open Positions

SK On currently has 6 open positions.

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 6 open positions at SK On

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