Senior Cell Abuse Test Engineer
At Wisk, we're transforming the future of urban mobility through safe, all-electric, autonomous flight. We are a passionate team working together toward a sustainable future, solving high-impact problems that have never been solved before. By delivering everyday flight for everyone, we're making it possible to spend less time getting there and more time being there. If you want to be part of shaping the future of mobility, then read on!
We are looking for a Senior Cell Abuse Test Engineer to join our team. The goal of a Senior Cell Abuse Test Engineer at Wisk is to ensure that validated performance and degradation physics based models are delivered. You will be part of the ESPS team that deliver the modeling and simulation solutions.
This is a hybrid work opportunity. At Wisk, this means working onsite at our Mountain View, CA office 3 days per week with flexibility for the remainder of the days.
What you will do:
As part of the ESPS organization, and deployed in a cell engineering team you will act as a battery cell abuse test engineer for a novel type of aircraft development targeting the autonomous UAM market
You'd conduct destructive tests on individual battery cells including thermal, electrical, and mechanical scenarios such as thermal runaway, overcharge, short circuit, mechanical crush, and penetration tests.
You'd perform and develop methods for destructive analysis and teardowns to identify the root cause of failures and problems.
Operate and manage environmental chambers, and safety systems, ensuring safe and accurate execution of abuse tests.
You'd need to be able to perform tests on both individual cells and battery modules, with assignments based on your experience and current project needs.
You’d design cell-level abuse tests from failure modes and certification from ESPS
You might also be involved in building, assembling, and commissioning test equipment, and serving as the primary contact for equipment troubleshooting.
You’d perform cell performance testing under the supervision of senior cell development engineers
You’d correlate cell material composition and cell design to safety and failure modes of the battery cells
Support the development of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and hazard analysis on cell design 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.
You will support cross-functional collaboration, providing insights to battery cell 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.
You'd be responsible for transforming raw test data into clear, meaningful conclusions and ensuring thorough documentation.
You'd share your findings and reports with internal technical teams, external suppliers, and even executives when necessary.
You'd work closely with technicians, treating them as peers to achieve test objectives. This also involves creating work plans, daily schedules, and setting priorities for junior staff to ensure timely and effective delivery of test results.
This includes owning or contributing to tasks like creating and maintaining procedures, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), standards, equipment inspections, lab commissioning, facilities management, maintenance, and staff training.
You'd be expected to acquire knowledge of relevant standards, guidelines, and norms for equipment safety and lab processes. Projects will require you to work with hazardous materials, necessitating the use of mandated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and to set up and perform tests in person within lab environments.
Requirements:
M.S., or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, with at least 3+ years of experience in battery cell 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.
Strong fundamentals of battery cell electrochemistry and material science
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.
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 25% travel for supplier visits, testing support, or regulatory engagements.
Compensation and Benefits:
In addition to offering a great work environment and the opportunity to be part of the team making electric autonomous flight a reality, at Wisk, we offer excellent total rewards which include a competitive base salary, annual bonus, long term incentive, 401K, health benefits and much more.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay range the company expects to pay: $165,588 - $194,810 per year - The starting base salary within this range for this role varies based on factors such as your geographical location, and your relevant job-related experience that is consistent with a business necessity.
We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those from marginalized or underrepresented groups in the tech industry and aerospace, to apply for our job openings. We consider every candidate who shares our passion for making the impossible possible, even if they may not strictly meet all preferred requirements. We firmly believe that a diverse range of perspectives can profoundly influence both our product and our company culture.
Wisk HQ is located in Mountain View just a couple of hundred feet from Shoreline Lake and its surrounding walking/jogging trails. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, 9 off Fridays for full-time employees throughout the year, flexible vacation time off, 11 company holidays, a 401(k) plan with 50% company matching vested immediately, commuter assistance, and education assistance. And on top of all that, we also offer a variety of perks such as free catered lunches, flight lessons, wellness allowances, snacks, drinks, employee referral bonus, charitable giving match, patent bonus program, and more.
To all recruitment agencies: Wisk Aero does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Wisk Aero employees, or any other organization location. Wisk Aero is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background check. Wisk Aero provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Wisk Aero abides by applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
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