Senior/Staff Test Engineer - Battery System Integration Testing

Company Overview

Imagine a piloted air taxi that takes off vertically, then quietly carries you and your fellow passengers over the congested city streets below, enabling you to spend more time with the people and places that matter most. At Joby, we've been working to make that dream a reality since 2009 and we're now in the final stages of certifying our aircraft with the FAA. With plans to launch our aircraft in the US and Dubai, we're now scaling manufacturing and preparing for the launch of our commercial service.

Overview

Joby Aviation is seeking a passionate, motivated and hands-on Senior or Staff Test Engineer on the Energy Storage and Distribution System (ESDS) Test Team to lead battery system integration testing, verifying that the battery packs, battery management system (BMS), power distribution, power conversion, and battery thermal management subsystems perform together as an integrated, flight-critical energy storage system. This role is a member of the Powertrain & Electronics Testing Team and leads system-level verification and validation testing activities in an aircraft representative battery lab, with specific emphasis on pack-to-aircraft interface verification, integrated BMS functional and algorithm evaluation, fault injection and protection coordination, and mission-profile performance testing.

Responsibilities

Test preparation includes:

• Test engineering: Identify integration test objective(s); collaborate with the battery design engineering team, system engineers, and adjacent subsystem teams (powertrain, avionics, thermal) to devise system-level test matrices, instrumentation needs, and detailed test procedures that exercise realistic aircraft interfaces, operating modes, and mission profiles
• Test article: Coordinate appropriate and configuration-controlled test articles, including aircraft representative battery packs, BMS hardware and software builds, and interfacing power distribution, conversion, and thermal management hardware, ensuring hardware/software configurations are representative and traceable
• Test equipment and labs: Lead the integration, commissioning, and maintenance of the aircraft representative battery lab and interfacing subsystem labs; work with Test Equipment Design Engineers to define requirements for battery cyclers, load emulation, thermal conditioning, aircraft-representative electrical interfaces, HV interlocks, and data acquisition architecture

Test execution includes:

• Perform system-level integration testing of the ESDS, verifying pack, BMS, power distribution, power conversion, and thermal management subsystems operate together correctly across power-up/power-down sequences, charge/discharge, flight mission profiles, and degraded/failure modes (including fault injection and protection coordination)
• Work closely with System Engineers on battery pack-level verification and validation, including electrical acceptance tests on aircraft representative packs with Safety-of-Flight documentation, and evaluation of BMS functional behavior and battery algorithm (SoC, SoE, etc.) performance against system requirements
• Perform supporting characterization, environmental, and reliability testing (power/thermal and humidity cycling, vibration and shock, accelerated life) at pack and subsystem level to underpin integration test results
• Debug and verify ESDS "fly-by-wire" network communication, validating message content, timing, latency, and fault handling between the battery packs/BMS and flight computers over the aircraft data network, and troubleshooting communication anomalies at the interface, protocol, and system levels
• Analyze integrated system test data (electrical, thermal, and BMS telemetry) to generate reports that give design teams quantifiable feedback for design optimization and certification compliance; lead root cause investigation of system-level anomalies and interface issues, documenting findings for corrective action
• Coordinate and lead test kickoff, test readiness, and data review meetings; work with the Test Program Manager to plan work, schedule test resources, report progress, and ensure tests are properly documented and closed out
• Work closely with Design Engineers, System Engineers, DERs, and Certification Engineers to verify the integrated ESDS meets design requirements; author Qualification Test Plans and Procedures (QTP) and balance iterative R&D testing with formal FAA witnessed Qualification testing
• Aid in the incremental automation of pack- and BMS-functional integration test setups while applying deep knowledge of HV safety threats, lockout/tagout, and prevention best practices

Required

• B.S. with 8+ years of experience, M.S. with 6+ years of experience, Ph.D. with 3+ years of experience, or equivalent practical experience
• Experience with battery system or vehicle-level integration testing: bringing packs, BMS, power electronics, and thermal management together and verifying system behavior across operating modes and interfaces
• Experience working with high-voltage, high-power systems, including electric vehicle or aircraft power electronics and distribution
• Domain knowledge of battery monitoring techniques, BMS functionality, cell and pack failure modes and mitigation, and high voltage safety
• Practical experience with instrumentation and data acquisition for integrated system testing (current/voltage sensing, thermocouples, isolation monitoring, CAN or similar vehicle bus telemetry)
• Experience with environmental stress testing including thermal and humidity cycling, vibration, and electromagnetic interference
• Strong data handling, processing, and presentation skills, with excellent problem-solving techniques and analytical ability
• Positive attitude and willingness to work individually and as part of a team; maintains a clean workspace and inventory of tools and equipment
• Be agile and adapt to evolving requirements and changes in direction

Desired

• Experience with Battery Management System hardware/software integration and functional verification, including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing
• Experience with high voltage Lithium-ion battery systems and battery pack cycle test equipment
• Experience testing airborne hardware to DO-160, DO-311A, SAE, MIL-810 (or similar standards); prior DO-160 training is a plus
• Experience commissioning or operating integrated test labs (battery labs, powertrain rigs, or vehicle-level test benches)
• Experience with MATLAB/Python for post-processing of data from equipment under test and external instrumentation
• Experience with LabView for data acquisition and test automation (invoking desired equipment functions in different conditions)
• Experience with the aircraft FAA certification process
• Strong physics and/or material properties background is a plus
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering or relevant discipline is a plus

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $133,400 - $232,000/yr. The compensation package will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Joby also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan with a company match, an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, and more.

 

Joby is an Equal Opportunity Employer