Test Engineer, Abuse Engineering

Base Power Company • Austin, TX

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Base is hiring a Test Engineer for its hardware reliability and test team. The role pushes batteries and inverters beyond their limits to uncover issues before customers encounter them. The engineer reviews designs, identifies gaps in test coverage, and plans, builds, and runs tests, including certification testing. The work is mostly hands-on at Base’s outdoor test site outside Austin, with some time in the office; transportation to the test site is provided.

The team conducts mechanical, electrical, environmental, and abuse testing from component to full system, tracks fleet performance in the field, investigates important failures, and feeds fixes back into product design. Base notes that it is a startup where priorities and responsibilities may evolve with business needs. The company works in person and describes the role as not a 9-to-5 position.

Requirements

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 1 year of experience designing and running tests on electrical equipment.
• Experience working around lithium-ion batteries, high voltage, and data acquisition systems.
• Comfort with hands-on, mostly outdoor work.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with battery thermal runaway testing.
• Knowledge of UL 9540, UL 9540A, or UL 1973.
• Experience with short-circuit or other high-energy testing.
• Experience designing fixtures and test setups in CAD.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate designs for safety using DFMEA and similar tools.
• Design and run safety and abuse tests, including thermal runaway, battery and inverter short circuit, and full-voltage switch interruption.
• Own the safety of every test setup.
• Set up data acquisition systems for thermocouples, voltage and current, and accelerometers.
• Run certification tests in-house or at external laboratories.
• Improve test throughput, test quality, and the test site.
• Write test reports and share results with relevant stakeholders.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level