Sr. Mechanical Engineer Li-ion Battery Cell Development (Cell Design)
Agratas
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Who we are Agratas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons. We will design, develop and manufacture high-quality, high-performance, sustainable batteries for the mobility and energy sectors. We are a scale-up business with a start-up mentality and the backing of a well-established parent company. We have a state of the art R&D facility in Oxfordshire and are currently looking to compliment our highly skilled team with the brightest minds from within the battery sector. The Opportunity The Senior Mechanical Engineer will support the design and development of Li-ion battery cells, focusing on optimising performance, safety, and scalability. This role involves driving innovation in cell architecture, materials selection, and electrochemical performance, while collaborating closely with the R&D and process engineering teams in a prototype environment. This role is ideal for candidates with extensive experience and a PhD in mechanical engineering or a related discipline with a proven track record of innovating in Li-ion battery development. What you will do... Cell Design & Development: Develop and execute test plans supporting the design and optimisation of Li-ion battery cells (substrates, tabs, can hardware, etc) to meet performance, energy density, and cycle life targets. Materials Selection: Evaluate and select materials (substrates, tabs, can hardware, etc) based on fundamental thermal, mechanical and electrical characteristics as well as cost, and manufacturability. Support vendor communication as a subject matter expert Prototype Scale-Up: Collaborate with process engineers to transition cell designs from lab-scale prototypes to pilot-scale manufacturing, through the creation and release of mechanical drawings and assembly specifications. Generate and deliver technical communications supporting go/no-go decisions. Lead cross-functional design reviews to ensure alignment. Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Integrate design considerations (stack-up analysis, DMA) that enhance manufacturability, yield, and cost-efficiency for large-scale production. Innovation & Problem-Solving: Identify and implement innovative solutions to improve cell performance, safety, and efficiency. Expertise you will bring.. Battery Cell Design Expertise: Deep understanding of Li-ion battery cell architecture and mechanical performance requirements. Experience deriving and/or validating mechanical requirements from higher level systems (module, pack, vehicle). Experience directly supporting customer communication as cell mechanical design subject matter expert. Product Development: Familiarity with APQP milestones. Expertise in developing drawings and specifications for parts and assemblies using CAD tools, including GD&T for complex assemblies. Experience supporting DFMEA as a subject matter expert. Experience using statistical tools to develop and execute experimental plans. Experience conducting basic component-level testing and analysis to accelerate part down-selection. Experience working with vendors and manufacturing partners to ensure that manufactured parts meet specifications. Experience with ultrasonic welding strongly desired Materials Science: Significant experience in selecting and evaluating materials for energy storage applications, including knowledge of cutting-edge materials and their impact on cell performance. Prototyping & Scale-Up: Direct experience transitioning mechanical designs from concept to pilot scale and working with manufacturing teams to ensure future scalability (DFM). Analytical Thinking: Proficiency in data analysis, modelling (FEA, CFD, stack-up, etc)., and interpreting results to drive design improvements. Experience using CAE tools for simulation and analysis. Experience in root cause failure analysis. Adept at developing contingency plans and identifying the best solution path under tight deadlines. Collaboration: Excellent communication and teamwork skills to collaborate with R&D, engineering, and product teams. Leadership skills Experience mentoring Jr engineers Strong communication with excellent stakeholder management ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships, and to work positively and credibly with a wide range of individuals and groups. Agratas is a place to be authentically you. At Agratas we strongly believe that people are at their best when they feel supported and happy in their workplace. To that end we continue to cultivate a diverse workforce which protects the individuality of each team member. We therefore warmly welcome applicants from any race, gender, sexuality, and ability. Should you have a preference in how your suitability is assessed for this role or require any reasonable adjustments please let the Talent Acquisition team know.