Manufacturing Engineer, Battery Assembly

Job description

HADRIAN - MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America. By combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we help aerospace and defense companies build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost. Following our $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation, Hadrian is rapidly expanding our manufacturing footprint, launching new capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, additive manufacturing, and more, while scaling our Factory-as-a-Service platform to transform how critical products are built. Backed by leading investors including JPMorgan Chase, Valor Equity Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, 137 Ventures, Lux Capital, T. Rowe Price, and Morgan Stanley, we’re building the future of American manufacturing—and looking for exceptional people to help make it happen. If you’re ready to take on the most challenging and rewarding work of your career while helping create American manufacturing jobs for generations to come, you’re exactly who we’re looking for. THE ROLE Hadrian is expanding our battery pack assembly team and is looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to help bring our pilot battery pack assembly line from concept to a working, repeatable, and safe production line. This is a hands-on role. Working alongside the Battery Pack Engineering Lead and a small team of specialists, you'll develop and refine the processes, fixturing, and tooling that turn cells into qualified packs. You'll get deep exposure to pack and module assembly, cell joining, thermal management, test, and safety, with room to grow your ownership as the line scales. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Develop, document, and improve assembly processes across the pilot line: cell intake and sorting/matching, module and pack build sequence, busbar and interconnect assembly, thermal interface application, enclosure, and potting/sealing - Support cell joining process development (laser / ultrasonic / resistance welding), including weld parameter development, qualification builds, and in-process verification - Design and build fixturing, stations, and tooling for the pilot line, with an eye toward eventual automation on Hadrian's robotics and software platform - Write and maintain clear work instructions, process control plans, and standard work for assembly operations - Support electrical test, formation, and characterization processes, and help define and execute pack-level acceptance testing - Implement cell-level traceability and lot control on the line, partnering with Quality on inspection plans and nonconformance dispositions - Run root cause and corrective action on process issues, yield losses, and equipment problems; drive improvements to yield, throughput, and cost - Support battery safety practices on the floor, including safe handling procedures, thermal runaway mitigation measures, and compliance testing activities (e.g., UN 38.3 transport) - Partner cross-functionally with design (mechanical/electrical/thermal), automation/controls, supply chain, quality/qualification, and program teams to move the line toward production readiness WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR - Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Materials, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field - 2+ years of manufacturing or process engineering experience, ideally with hands-on exposure to battery pack or module assembly, energy storage, or another electro-mechanical assembly environment - Working knowledge of at least one cell joining or precision joining process (laser, ultrasonic, or resistance welding, or comparable processes) - Experience developing fixturing, tooling, or work instructions for assembly operations - Comfort working on the production floor: building, testing, breaking, and fixing things yourself - Strong problem-solving fundamentals, including structured root cause analysis and data-driven process improvement - Ability to operate with limited direction in a fast-moving, ambiguous, build-it-now environment - Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident) per ITAR; ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance WHAT WILL SET YOU APART - Direct battery pack or module assembly experience, especially in aerospace, defense, UAS, eVTOL, EV, or other safety-critical applications - Hands-on weld development experience for tabs and busbars, including weld qualification and destructive/non-destructive evaluation - Familiarity with battery safety standards and testing (UN 38.3, UL/IEC, abuse testing) - Experience with electrical test, formation, or pack characterization - Exposure to automation, robotics, or designing processes for high-rate production - Experience with traceability systems, MES, or lot control in a regulated or quality-driven environment - Experience in a high-growth or startup manufacturing environment BENEFITS FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES - Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees - 401k - Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need. - Flexible vacation policy - Equity ITAR REQUIREMENTS To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987. USE OF AI IN HIRING Hadrian uses AI-assisted tools in our recruiting and hiring processes to help our team work more efficiently. This may include tools that help organize and analyze recruiting data, as well as an AI-powered notetaker that can record and transcribe interviews and help coordinate feedback. These tools support our team and are not used to make hiring decisions. All candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are performed by humans. If an interview will be recorded, you will be notified in advance and may opt out at any time with no impact on your candidacy. Candidate data processed through these tools is subject to the same protections described in our Privacy Policy https://www.hadrian.co/privacy-policy. HADRIAN IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.