Principal Battery Design Engineer

Are you an experienced leader in automotive battery cell design engineering? Have you successfully transitioned new battery designs from R&D to large-scale production? Do you aspire to be part of the shift to solid-state technology?

What You’ll Accomplish

• Lead the overall battery technology platform and test plan as we transition from R&D to pilot and large-scale production.
• Play a critical role in designing and developing cell pouches for advanced energy storage applications.
• Engage in a fast-paced, hands-on leadership position with a team passionate about transforming the energy storage landscape.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize cell pouches for energy storage applications, focusing on performance, safety, and manufacturability.
• Select and evaluate materials for cell pouch construction, ensuring compatibility with application requirements.
• Develop and design prototypes, conduct testing to validate designs, and implement necessary improvements.
• Lead the design, development, and qualification of next-generation solid-state pouch batteries.
• Own cell design plans, design-of-experiments, failure analysis, and new development pathways for consumer devices and EV applications.
• Drive product development initiatives and lead technical cell engineering projects for the first multi amp-hour cell designs.
• Define and own cell design specifications and test procedures for product validation.
• Partner with materials R&D and process engineering to select optimal formulations and SOPs to meet performance and scalability goals.
• Drive quarterly updates and stage gate transitions.
• Internalize system design concepts (thermals, cell to pack) and compliance requirements from customers.
• Collaborate with the data analytics team to characterize and optimize performance.
• Partner with manufacturing process engineering to ensure the economics and scalability of designs.
• Ensure alignment on the bill of materials (BOM) with product requirements.

Your Experience and Qualifications

• Ph.D. or MS in chemistry, chemical or mechanical engineering, materials science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience with pouch, prismatic, or VDA-compliant batteries for automotive and consumer applications; hands-on experience in scale-up/manufacturing environments preferred.
• Proficiency in CAD software and simulation tools.
• Strong understanding of lithium-based cells, cell components, and their interactions within the cell.
• Demonstrated experience in cell design, characterization, and failure mode identification.
• Experience assembling battery cells and developing new electrode and electrolyte formulations.
• Experience with high-speed battery manufacturing systems.
• Proven track record of driving cell development roadmaps and customer-facing deliverables.
• Commitment to lab and work safety policies.
• Positive, can-do attitude with experience coaching and inspiring teams to overcome technical challenges.
• Creative thinker with attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and experience sharing results with team members and leadership.