Battery Test Engineer

ridealso; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Medical membership

Family benefits

Flexible time off

401(k) match

Job summary

ridealso is seeking a Battery Test Engineer to own the validation strategy for electromechanical hardware across prototype to production. The role emphasizes design of test methods, prototyping, and automation to ensure safety and reliability in small EV platforms.

The candidate will partner with Battery Design, BMS, and Vehicle Engineering, building fixtures and instrumentation while analyzing results to drive engineering decisions. Onsite with potential remote days.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Ability to bound problems from first principles for electrochemical, thermal, and mechanical domains.
• Experience testing and validating complex electromechanical assemblies, incl. batteries.
• Hands-on capability building fixtures, instrumentation, and debugging hardware.
• Proficiency with lab instrumentation and test automation tools (Python/MATLAB).
• Experience defining validation strategies and sign-off decisions.
• Willingness to travel up to 15% and work onsite initially.

Responsibilities

• Define the validation strategy for electromechanical hardware from prototype to production.
• Design test methodologies reflecting real-world conditions and variation.
• Build and bring up prototypes, instrument hardware, and perform root-cause analysis.
• Create fixtures, automation tools, and lab infrastructure to improve quality.
• Analyze test data and translate results into design actions and risk assessments.
• Collaborate with Battery Design, BMS, Systems, and Vehicle Engineering.
• Coordinate with external labs, cert agencies, suppliers, and CMOs for validation.
• Help set rigorous standards as an early member of the team.

Skills

First principles problem solving

Hands-on hardware testing

Lab instrumentation expertise

Python or MATLAB automation

Validation strategy & planning

Travel up to 15%

Battery safety knowledge

Education

BS/MS in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

DAQs

Oscilloscopes

Environmental chambers

Job description

About ALSO.

We're ALSO, an electric mobility company originally conceived as a part of Rivian. We're a passionate team of builders, dreamers, doers and innovators, focused on creating entirely new (not to mention, innovative and delightful) vertically integrated, small EVs designed to meet the global mobility challenges of today and tomorrow. Our mission is to inspire everyone to ride ALSO- replacing many local car, truck and SUV miles with ones on vehicles that are more affordable, more enjoyable and 10-50x more efficient.

Battery Test Engineer

We're looking for a Battery Test Engineer (at all levels) to own battery validation strategy, including safety testing, for our vehicle platforms. This is not a test execution role — you'll define what needs to be tested, determine what good looks like, build the capability required to validate it, and help drive the engineering decisions that determine product readiness and reliability.

You should be equally comfortable building prototype hardware, designing tests, developing automated test capability, analyzing test data, performing failure analysis, and making clear engineering judgments about system readiness and safety risks.

What You'll Do

• Define the validation strategy for the system, including what needs to be tested, what good looks like, and what sign-off requires for electromechanical hardware from prototype through production release
• Design test methodologies that reflect real-world operating conditions, manufacturing variation, and long-term product usage, covering performance, reliability, durability, environmental, and abuse testing across mechanical, electrical, and thermal domains
• Build and bring up prototypes and test hardware hand‑on, owning instrumentation, debugging, and root‑cause analysis when things fail
• Design fixtures, automation tools, and lab infrastructure that improve test quality, repeatability, and speed, building the capability the program needs rather than relying on what already exists
• Analyze test data and translate findings into clear design actions and program risk assessments, not just pass/fail reports
• Partner with Battery Design, BMS, Systems, and Vehicle Engineering to ground validation in real use cases and behaviors
• Coordinate with external test labs, certification agencies, suppliers, and contract manufacturers to support compliance and validation activities
• As an early member of a growing test engineering team, set the standard for rigor, speed, and quality that future test engineers will build on

What You'll Bring

• BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Ability to bound problems from first principles — electrochemical, thermal, and mechanical — using back‑of‑envelope reasoning before reaching for simulation
• Experience testing and validating complex electromechanical assemblies (including batteries), with a track record of owning strategy and sign‑off across full programs
• Strong hands‑on capability: building fixtures, instrumenting hardware, debugging systems, and operating test equipment independently, not just directing others to do it
• Proficiency with lab instrumentation — DAQs, oscilloscopes, power supplies, electronic loads, environmental chambers, and sensors — and with Python or MATLAB for test automation and data analysis
• Experience defining validation strategies, writing test plans, and owning production readiness sign‑off decisions
• Comfortable working directly with overseas suppliers to evaluate technical capabilities and lead on‑site validation activities, with willingness to travel up to 15% of the time if needed
• Bonus: Deep understanding of lithium‑ion cell behavior — thermal runaway mechanisms, degradation modes, electrochemical operating limits, and how cell‑level failures propagate at pack and system level — along with hands‑on cell characterization and abuse testing experience (nail penetration, pulse power, degradation cycling)
• Bonus: Familiarity with thermal simulation and model correlation against measured test data, and with battery safety and compliance standards such as UN 38.3, UL 1642/1973, SAE J2464, or equivalent
• Bonus: Background in small EVs, two‑wheelers, or light electric mobility platforms, plus experience managing technical relationships with external certification labs and regulatory agencies

The salary for this position ranges from $170,000 to $250,000 per year, depending on experience, qualifications, and location.

This is an onsite position requiring attendance in the office 5 days per week. Once fully ramped and in alignment with their manager, employees may have the opportunity for limited flexibility, including the potential to work remotely up to two days per week, based on business and team needs.

Perks & Benefits

• Robust health coverage — excellent health, dental and vision insurance covered up to 100% by ALSO with FSA & HSA options
• One Medical membership and dedicated insurance advocates
• Rich fertility and family building benefits with Progyny
• Flexible time off
• 401(k) match

Why ALSO.

We're passionate about helping the world find a better way to get there—wherever it is you're headed.

We're located in the heart of Silicon Valley and have brought together a world-class team from some of the biggest brands in the technology, automotive, cycling, outdoor recreation and retail spaces.

Together we're working hands‑on to imagine, design and build an entirely new solution to a global set of transportation challenges.