Cell Testing Engineer

Location: San Carlos, CA, US

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

Company Overview

Imagine a piloted air taxi that takes off vertically, then quietly carries you and your fellow passengers over the congested city streets below, enabling you to spend more time with the people and places that matter most. At Joby, we've been working to make that dream a reality since 2009 and we're now in the final stages of certifying our aircraft with the FAA. With plans to launch our aircraft in the US and Dubai, we're now scaling manufacturing and preparing for the launch of our commercial service.

Overview

Joby Aviation is seeking a hardworking, innovative, and passionate engineer to help take our cell testing to the next level. This person will be part of the team focused on developing and quantifying the performance metrics unique to EVTOL applications and be engaged in all levels of cell-testing, including design-of-experiments, test protocol development, and data analysis and interpretation. This person will be integral to driving insights that impact design decisions related to the battery architecture and will work closely with design, safety, electrochemical, and simulation engineers to make our design the best in the industry.

Responsibilities

• Develop novel and targeted methods of characterizing cell performance as they relate to aircraft performance and regulatory requirements
• Define comprehensive performance criteria for new cell designs, encompassing electrochemical, mechanical, and safety requirements, in partnership with internal engineering teams
• Own test planning and execution for validation of new cell technologies, root-causing of degradation/failure mechanisms, and battery algorithm certification
• Actively monitor data, trouble-shoot tests and equipment, and use data manipulation and visualization skills (e.g., Python, MATLAB) to effectively convey complex model and test results to fellow engineers and cross-functional teams
• Process data for parameter estimation and develop simulations and models to conduct sensitivity studies for cell design relative to aircraft performance metrics such as range, lifetime, and product value
• Synthesize complex technical test results into clear, program-level impacts and support key engineering decisions by acting as the primary point of contact across internal and external organizations

Required

• MS or above in in materials science, chemistry, electrical engineering, or related field
• Experience with large-scale, structured li-ion testing operations and programming cell cyclers (e.g. Arbin, Maccor)
• Strong critical reasoning mindset and capable of interpreting and making testing decisions based on first principles and academic research
• Experienced in statistical analysis and data visualization with great written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Deep understanding of the relationship between physical cell design parameters and the inputs/outputs of mathematical models
• Willingness to get hands dirty and work with team-members on all levels of test execution, whether it be performing fixturing modifications or performing calibrations

Desired

• Doctoral degree in a relevant engineering or science field
• Experience in lithium-ion cell design, cell qualification, cell manufacturing, battery module design, and/or supply chain
• Experience in developing empirical or physics-based models of dynamic systems, preferably including lithium-ion batteries and their aging mechanisms
• Understanding of cell failure mechanisms and experience with abuse testing methods
• Strong background in Python or other language for data processing and visualization
• Familiarity with data pipelines and querying relational databases such as SQL
• Sensing and data acquisition knowledge

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $104,000 - $183,000/yr. The compensation package will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.Joby also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan with a company match, an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, and more.

Joby is an Equal Opportunity Employer.