New Product Development Engineer
About The Position
Packet Digital is expanding its vertically integrated lithium-ion battery capabilities and is seeking a New Product Development (NPD) Engineer to design and develop next-generation pouch-format lithium-ion cells. The engineer will contribute across early-stage design, prototyping, and pilot manufacturing, ensuring new pouch-cell architectures meet performance, manufacturability, and safety requirements. The role involves designing pouch-cell architectures, creating CAD models, supporting cell prototyping and pilot-line builds, and analyzing performance and manufacturing data to guide iterative improvements. The engineer will collaborate with process engineering teams and contribute to engineering documentation, validation, design reviews, and compliance with relevant safety and Department of Defense requirements. This is a full-time position based in Packet Digital’s main office. The company describes its work environment as collaborative and inclusive, with opportunities for growth and advancement. The role requires the ability to travel overseas for training and collaboration.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science, electrical engineering, or a related field.
- Working knowledge of pouch-cell lithium-ion design, including electrode structure, pouching processes, electrolyte selection, and tab design.
- Proficiency with CAD and 3D modeling tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, or NX.
- Hands-on experience in cell prototyping, laboratory builds, or early-stage cell development.
- Ability to analyze cycling data, performance metrics, and failure modes to guide design improvements.
- Strong cross-functional communication skills and ability to work in an R&D and pilot-line environment.
- Ability to travel overseas for training and collaboration.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in engineering or a related discipline.
- Industry experience specifically in pouch-cell development or pouch-cell manufacturing.
- Familiarity with pilot manufacturing lines, including coating, calendaring, slitting, stacking, tab welding, filling, and formation.
- Experience with mechanical, thermal, or electrochemical simulation tools.
- Knowledge of DFM, DFMEA, and design validation methodologies.
- Experience with DoD testing and safety standards for lithium-ion systems.
Responsibilities
- Lead and support the design of pouch lithium-ion cells, including electrode architecture, stack configuration, mechanical layout, tab design, and pouch dimensions.
- Develop detailed 2D and 3D models using CAD software for electrodes, cell stacks, tabs, and packaging.
- Participate in pouch-cell prototyping, including material selection, electrode design iteration, stacking or winding setup, electrolyte selection, pouch-forming considerations, and sealing strategies.
- Collaborate with process engineering teams to ensure cell designs align with manufacturing capabilities, including mixing, coating, calendaring, slitting, stacking, welding, filling, and formation.
- Support pilot-line builds and analyze performance, yield, and manufacturability data to drive iterative design improvements.
- Generate engineering documentation, including drawings, specifications, bills of materials, test plans, and validation reports.
- Use test and cycling data to improve pouch-cell energy density, cycle life, impedance, thermal behavior, and safety.
- Participate in DFM, DFMEA, and engineering reviews to ensure design robustness and manufacturability.
- Ensure pouch-cell designs comply with relevant safety and DoD requirements, including UN38.3, NAVSEA S9310, and MIL-PRF-29595B.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
