Senior Battery Engineer (Robotics) - Dot

DoorDash USA•Oakland, CA

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced Battery Engineer to own the complete battery system architecture for our robotic platform. This individual will be responsible for battery system design from cell selection through full pack integration, including electrical configuration, mechanical packaging, thermal management, charging strategy, range calculations, and safety/propagation mitigation. This role is critical to robot performance, reliability, safety, and lifecycle cost. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in battery pack design with strong cross-functional execution skills.

Requirements

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field
7+ years of experience designing lithium-ion battery packs or high-performance battery systems
Strong expertise in: Battery packaging and mechanical integration, Series & parallel configuration optimization, Thermal management and cooling systems, Charging architectures and battery lifecycle tradeoffs, Propagation and safety mitigation strategies
Experience taking battery systems from concept through production
Experience with Solidworks and/or Siemens NX CAD systems.
Familiarity with BMS systems and battery modeling tools
Hands-on experience with validation testing and failure analysis

Nice To Haves

Experience in robotics, EVs, drones, or other high dynamic-load applications
Experience designing batteries for ruggedized or mobile system
Knowledge of manufacturing scale-up and supplier qualification
Experience with regulatory certification processes
Familiarity with simulation tools (thermal, structural, electrochemical modeling)

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end battery system design for the robot platform
Define system requirements including energy density, power delivery, lifecycle, safety, and environmental constraints
Lead cell selection and supplier evaluation
Define and optimize S&P (series and parallel) configuration to meet performance and reliability targets
Develop battery system specifications and validation plans
Design robust mechanical packaging solutions for dynamic robotic environments
Ensure structural integrity under shock, vibration, and drop conditions
Collaborate closely with mechanical and industrial design teams to integrate the battery within tight robotic packaging constraints
Optimize serviceability, modularity, and manufacturability
Design and validate cooling strategies (passive and active)
Model and simulate thermal behavior under peak load and fast charging conditions
Ensure safe operation across full environmental temperature ranges
Drive mitigation strategies for thermal runaway and cell-to-cell propagation
Define charging architecture and charging profiles (standard and fast charging)
Collaborate on BMS integration and system-level power management
Optimize for cycle life, charging time, and operational uptime
Evaluate tradeoffs between performance, longevity, and safety
Develop safety architecture including containment, venting, isolation, and propagation resistance
Conduct failure mode and hazard analyses (FMEA, DFMEA, safety cases)
Work with compliance teams to ensure regulatory adherence (UL, IEC, UN38.3, etc.)
Define validation tests for abuse scenarios (overcharge, short circuit, crush, thermal runaway)
Partner with electrical, firmware, mechanical, robotics, and manufacturing teams
Support DFM/DFT activities for production readiness
Drive supplier technical engagement and validation testing
Own performance tracking in fielded systems and lead continuous improvement

Benefits

401(k) plan with employer matching
16 weeks of paid parental leave
wellness benefits
commuter benefits match
paid time off and paid sick leave in compliance with applicable laws (e.g. Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act)
medical, dental, and vision benefits
11 paid holidays
disability and basic life insurance
family-forming assistance
a mental health program