Battery Test Engineer

ALSO.; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage with insurance options

Flexible time off

401(k) matching

Job summary

ALSO is seeking a Battery Test Engineer at their Palo Alto location to own battery validation strategy essential for electric mobility. This role focuses on defining testing requirements and ensuring product readiness through rigorous testing of electromechanical hardware.

The ideal candidate will possess hands-on experience with lab instrumentation and data analysis, alongside a degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering. This is an onsite position requiring full-time attendance, with potential for limited remote work after onboarding.

Qualifications

• Experience with electrical, mechanical, and thermal testing.
• Comfortable working with overseas suppliers.
• Experience managing technical relationships with external labs.

Responsibilities

• Define the validation strategy for a system.
• Design test methodologies for operating conditions.
• Analyze test data and translate findings into clear actions.

Skills

Hands-on capability in building fixtures

Proficiency with lab instrumentation

Experience with test and validation

Proficiency with data analysis tools

Ability to bound problems from first principles

Education

BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

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.

We’re looking for a Battery Test Engineer (All Levels) to own battery validation strategy (inc. safety testing) for our vehicle platforms. This is not a test execution role. You will 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 Will Do

• Define the validation strategy for a system; 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 accurately represent real‑world operating conditions, manufacturing variation, and long‑term product usage. Scope spans performance, reliability, durability, environmental, and abuse testing across mechanical, electrical, and thermal domains.
• Build and bring up prototypes and test hardware hands‑on.
• Own instrumentation, debugging, and root‑cause analysis when things fail.
• Design fixtures, automation tools, and lab infrastructure that improve test quality, repeatability, and speed. Build the capability the program needs, not just what 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.
• You’ll be an early member of a growing test engineering team. How you work — your rigor, your velocity, your standards — sets the bar for the test engineers who come after you.

What You Will Bring

• BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• Ability to bound problems from first principles — electrochemical, thermal, and mechanical — with back‑of‑envelope reasoning before reaching for simulation.
• Experience with test and validation of complex electromechanical assemblies (incl. 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; scripting in Python or MATLAB for test automation and data analysis.
• Experience defining validation strategies, writing test plans, and owning production readiness sign‑off decisions.
• Proficiency with data analysis tools (Python, MATLAB, or similar) for processing and communicating test results.
• Comfortable working directly with overseas suppliers to evaluate technical capabilities and lead validation activities on‑site and traveling up to 15% of the time if needed.

Bonus Points

• Familiarity with thermal simulation and correlation of models against measured test data.
• Background in small EVs, two‑wheelers, or light electric mobility platforms.
• Experience managing technical relationships with external certification labs and regulatory agencies; cell characterization and abuse experience: nail penetration, pulse power, and degradation cycling.
• 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.
• Familiarity with battery safety and compliance standards: UN 38.3, UL 1642/1973, SAE J2464, or equivalent.

Location

This is an onsite position requiring attendance in the office five (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.

Salary

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

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.