Sr Staff Engineer, Battery

Aptera Motors; Carlsbad (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock option grants

Fully funded benefits

Flexible time away

Job summary

Aptera Motors in Carlsbad, CA is seeking a Sr Staff Engineer – EV Battery System to set the technical strategy and architecture for Aptera's battery systems, overseeing concept to series production as the organization’s senior technical authority on battery design, integration, and performance.

You will lead the technical roadmap, drive 3D modeling and DVP&R processes, mentor engineers, and coordinate with manufacturing, quality, and vehicle integration teams to ensure PPAP and IATF 16949

Qualifications

• Hands-on leader with EV battery systems experience and the ability to set technical direction.
• Extensive experience with automotive high-voltage battery systems, including thermal management.
• Strong cross-functional influence and ability to mentor engineers.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the technical strategy, architecture, and roadmap for Aptera's battery systems.
• Lead design, integration, and validation of battery components from concept to series production.
• Provide final review and sign-off on complex design decisions; resolve cross-functional escalations.
• Set standards and best practices; mentor the battery engineering team.
• Lead risk assessments (FMEAs) and coordinate with internal and external teams.
• Ensure PPAP and IATF 16949 compliance across battery programs.

Skills

EV battery systems

Technical leadership

Cross-team influence

Electrical schematics

Mechanical schematics

Design validation

Mentoring

FMEA

Education

Bachelor's in automotive, mechanical, or electrical engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

3D CATIA V6

3DExperience

PLM/PDM tools

Job description

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