Description
As the Senior Manager, Battery Mechanical Engineering, you will lead the mechanical design, thermal management, and structural integration of Anduril's next-generation battery systems. Our battery packs power everything from autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and high-altitude loitering munitions to tactical ground systems.
In this role, you will lead a high-performing team of mechanical engineers in collaboration with structural, thermal, and test engineers. You will be responsible for taking battery systems from blank-sheet architecture through rapid prototyping, qualification testing, and high-rate manufacturing. If you are a first-principles thinker who thrives in a fast-paced environment and wants to build the power systems enabling the future of defense, this role is for you.
Responsibilities
- Lead & Mentor: Build, manage, and mentor a world-class team of battery mechanical and thermal engineers. Foster a culture of rapid iteration, technical excellence, and extreme ownership.
- Drive Battery Architecture: Own the mechanical architecture of high-voltage, high-energy-density battery packs. This includes structural frame design, cell-to-pack/cell-to-module integration, sealing (IP67/68), and containment.
- Thermal & Safety Engineering: Oversee thermal management system design (passive, liquid-cooled, phase-change materials) and lead mitigation strategies for propagation/thermal runaway.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Electrical Engineering (BMS), Cell Chemistry, Systems Engineering, and product line teams (Air, Land, Sea) to define requirements and interface boundaries.
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Work with manufacturing and supply chain partners to transition designs to high-rate production. Define assembly processes, tooling requirements, and end-of-line testing.
- Test & Validation: Define and execute mechanical and environmental qualification test plans (shock, vibration, thermal cycling, altitude, and abuse testing per UN 38.3, DO-311A, MIL-STD-810H).
Requirements
- B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
- 8+ years of experience in mechanical design, with a strong focus on high-voltage lithium-ion battery packs or energy storage systems (EV, Aerospace, or Consumer Electronics).
- 3+ years of experience directly managing and leading engineering teams.
- Deep expertise in mechanical design tools (e.g., NX, SolidWorks) and PLM systems (e.g., Teamcenter).
- Strong understanding of battery pack safety principles, including thermal runaway isolation, venting, and high-voltage isolation.
- Hands-on experience with finite element analysis (FEA) for structural/vibration and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for thermal management.
- Familiarity with battery standards and regulatory testing (e.g., UN 38.3, NAVSEA SG IX, UL 2580, DO-311).
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret Security Clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in the defense, aerospace, or automotive EV sectors (e.g., Tesla, SpaceX, Rivian, or similar fast-paced hardware environments).
- Experience with automated assembly processes, cell bonding (ultrasonic wire bonding, laser welding), and high-volume manufacturing.
- Experience with subsea pressure vessel design or high-altitude aerospace thermal management.