Senior Battery Abuse Test Engineer

In this role, you will:

• Lead the design and execution of battery abuse tests, including thermal, electrical, and mechanical scenarios such as thermal runaway, overcharge, short circuit, mechanical crush, and penetration tests.
• Develop and maintain abuse test protocols, instrumentation plans, and safety procedures, ensuring compliance with aviation standards and regulatory requirements.
• Operate and manage high-voltage test equipment, environmental chambers, and safety systems, ensuring safe and accurate execution of abuse tests.
• Analyze test data, identify failure modes, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive design improvements and enhance battery safety.
• Serve as a technical expert in abuse testing, guiding junior engineers and lab technicians and supporting safety assessments and certification efforts.
• Conduct root cause analysis of test failures, proposing and validating mitigation strategies to improve battery thermal management and safety.
• Support the development of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and hazard analysis to ensure robust safety features in battery management systems (BMS).
• Maintain an organized, safe, and efficient test environment, upholding the highest standards of safety and quality.

What you will do:

• You will take part in defining and executing advanced abuse testing methodologies, ensuring battery systems meet stringent safety and performance standards.
• You will support cross-functional collaboration, providing insights to battery design, thermal engineering, and safety teams to drive safety-focused innovations.
• You will help support problem-solving activities, identifying potential safety risks through test data analysis and simulation correlations.
• You will coordinate and oversee abuse testing logistics, including test fixture design, instrumentation setup, and data acquisition systems.
• In some areas, you will be working closely with certification and regulatory teams to ensure compliance with aviation safety standards, including DO-311A, UL 2580, and UN 38.3.
• You will plan and execute technical reports, safety assessments, and presentations to support design reviews, certification processes, and regulatory submissions.
• As a Senior Battery Abuse Test Engineer, you will help define industry-leading safety protocols, contribute to battery design reviews, and drive the continuous improvement of abuse testing processes.

Requirements:

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, with at least 5+ years of experience in battery abuse testing, preferably in the automotive, aerospace, or energy storage industries.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and executing abuse tests, including thermal runaway, electrical abuse, mechanical impact, and environmental testing.
• Proficiency with high-voltage battery systems, test equipment, data acquisition tools, and safety systems.
• Extensive experience with test design, instrumentation, and data analysis, utilizing tools such as LabVIEW, MATLAB, Python, or similar platforms.
• Deep knowledge of battery safety standards and regulatory requirements, including DO-311A, ARP4761, AS6413, UL 2580, and UN 38.3.
• Proven ability to lead root cause analysis, FMEA, and safety risk assessments.
• Excellent leadership skills, with experience in mentoring junior engineers and guiding lab technicians in safe testing practices.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills, with a proactive approach to safety and quality assurance.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, demonstrating initiative and ownership of test programs.
• This role may require up to 10% travel for supplier visits, testing support, or regulatory engagements.