Sr Staff Engineer, Battery

Aptera Motors

is dedicated to building a future where every journey is powered by the sun. We specialize in creating solar electric vehicles that revolutionize the way we travel, providing sustainable and efficient transportation solutions.

Company Culture

is built on transparency, ethical treatment of one another, a bias for action, and leading by example.

About the role

Seeking a highly experienced Sr Staff Engineer - EV Battery System to set the technical strategy and architecture for Aptera's battery systems and to serve as the organization's senior-most technical authority on battery design, integration, and performance, overseeing the full program lifecycle from concept to series production.

What you'll do

• Define and own the technical strategy, architecture, and roadmap for Aptera's battery systems, driving cell selection, pack topology, and thermal management strategy across current and future vehicle programs
• Lead the design and integration of battery systems and components, including enclosures, modules, busbars, and thermal management systems, from concept through series production
• Serve as the senior technical authority for battery engineering, providing final review and sign-off on complex design decisions and resolving cross-functional technical escalations
• Set technical standards, design practices, and best practices for the vehicle battery system; mentor engineers to grow the team's design and release capabilities
• Lead FMEAs and other risk assessment and mitigation efforts to identify and address potential design risks at the system and component level
• Direct and coordinate work with internal engineers/designers and external service providers to create, develop, validate, and release battery components for prototyping and series production
• Control design revision governance for parts and assemblies, ensuring tight traceability between design and part across the battery organization
• Use 3DExperience (or Catia V6) to perform 3D modeling, 2D drawings, 3D part design, and 3D assembly design studies, and review the work of other engineers for design integrity
• Design components and systems for function, performance, durability, and quality in compliance with appropriate industry standards
• Own the creation and execution of design validation plans (DVP&Rs) and process validation plans across the battery system portfolio
• Guide sourcing decisions with purchasing and quality, ensuring components come from reputable suppliers and integrate with the manufacturing plan
• Devise or collaborate with suppliers to devise testing that verifies battery components, including safety and abuse testing
• Participate directly on battery frame and structure design and development. Drive the battery system module design, engineering and development
• Work closely with other departments, including manufacturing, quality, simulation, project management, and the vehicle integration team, to align battery design with vehicle-level requirements
• Ensure battery components and suppliers fulfill PPAP and comply with IATF 16949
• Coordinate test activities, equipment, and facilities with third parties to achieve program goals
• Document processes and procedures in knowledge sharing tools such as Confluence
• Plan and execute work breakdown, and help prioritize the battery engineering team's workload, in task management tools such as Jira

Qualifications

• Hands-on technical leader on battery systems for EV, with a demonstrated ability to set technical direction and rally teams toward our collective objectives
• Extensive, hands-on experience with automotive high-voltage battery systems, including cell chemistry, module and pack design, and thermal management
• Deep experience with automotive systems and component design, analysis, and validation across multiple vehicle programs
• Strong command of mechanical and electrical schematics
• Expert-level proficiency with 3D CATIA V6 (3DX) software and generating 2D drawings
• Extensive experience with PLM/PDM tools
• Demonstrated ability to influence technical direction and outcomes across teams without formal authority
• Track record of mentoring and developing other engineers
• Self-motivation and desire for continuous improvement
• Excellent technical and interpersonal communication, including the ability to convey complex tradeoffs to engineering leadership
• Evidence of being a self-starter and bringing complex, ambiguous projects to completion
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced and resource-constrained environments
• Extensive experience testing and validating high-voltage battery systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficient with 3DExperience/CATIA V6
• Demonstrated experience performing or interpreting FEA/FEM is a plus
• Proficiency with task management tools (Jira is a plus)
• Experience with cell development, cell selection, or supplier qualification for EV, aerospace, or energy storage platforms
• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in a relevant engineering discipline
• Familiarity with SAE, FMVSS, UN 38.3, or other regulatory standards governing traction batteries
• Experience developing thermal runaway or propagation mitigation strategies

Team Structure

• Senior individual contributor and technical lead for the battery engineering program; sets technical direction, reviews and approves designs. Collaborate closely with onsite and remote engineers and technicians, and with Powertrain, Vehicle Integration, Manufacturing, and Quality teams, to achieve program and company goals. Partner directly with engineering leadership on program-level strategy and tradeoffs.

Required Experience

• 12+ years of experience in electric vehicle or automotive battery systems engineering, spanning multiple successful production programs
• 6+ years of experience as a design and release engineer or equivalent, including leading component- or system-level programs from concept to series production

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in automotive, mechanical, or electrical engineering, or equivalent experience; Master's degree preferred

Salary + Benefits

• Market competitive compensation package
• Stock option grants
• Fully funded benefits package for employee + dependents
• Generous Flexible Time Away policy