Senior Manager, Battery Design Engineering

Job description

# About Brelle ## Energy for what moves us. Brelle is a venture-backed technology company building the next generation of energy and powertrain systems for the world’s most demanding machines. Our team comes from companies like Rivian, SpaceX, and McLaren, bringing deep expertise in high-performance engineering, electrification, and advanced manufacturing. Brelle develops frontier technology that pushes what’s possible in electrified performance. Based in California, we develop next-generation energy and powertrain technology for supercars and superbikes, working alongside leading high-performance brands across the U.S. and Europe. Our innovations are built on a novel pack architecture, a full-stack software platform, and an advanced approach to automated production. Joining Brelle means working on technology that makes the world’s most demanding vehicles and aircraft lighter, safer, more engaging, and capable of charging in minutes. Our engineering teams operate like small Skunkworks teams: nimble, cross-functional, and highly technical. Engineers are encouraged to explore new concepts and materials, move quickly from concept to prototype, and have significant autonomy to develop, validate, and release their work across programs. We’re building something ambitious in a highly competitive market, and **the bar is high. We need people who are exceptional at what they do, take real ownership, and are willing to do what the moment requires.** # About the Role As **Senior Manager for Battery Design Engineering**, you will be a hands-on contributor to Brelle’s battery systems – working through architecture decisions and staying close to the engineering details as module and pack development moves from concept to production across mechanical, electrical, thermal, and safety domains. You’ll also lead a small engineering team, acting as an approachable, guiding mentor who works alongside them rather than directing from a distance. ## *What You'll Do* - Design and develop battery module and pack architecture — cell integration, thermal management, HV safety, electromechanical systems, and structural design - Work through architecture trade-offs across energy density, weight, thermal performance, cost, safety, and manufacturability, and drive them to a decision - Run design reviews and engineering processes — DFMEA, DVP&R, design release, and certification/homologation — with a hands-on role in the actual analysis and documentation, not just process oversight - Set and uphold design standards and review cadences that embed safety and quality into rapid iteration - Get hands-on with hardware and analysis — prototyping, testing, debugging, and iterating alongside the team - Guide technical direction for the battery systems roadmap, in close coordination with product and program priorities - Coordinate milestones and dependencies across mechanical, electrical, thermal, and structural workstreams to keep delivery on track - Lead and grow a small battery engineering team — hiring and developing talented engineers, and staying closely involved in their day-to-day work - Be an approachable, hands-on leader who works alongside the team, not just directing from above — someone engineers can bring problems to and dig into solutions with - Foster a culture of technical excellence and intellectual honesty, where engineers are encouraged to challenge assumptions and pursue novel solutions ## *What We're Looking For* - 7+ years of experience in battery pack/module design and development - BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field - Deep expertise across battery system architecture: cell integration, thermal management, HV safety, and structural design - Advanced CAD proficiency with the ability to engage at the design detail level - Strong understanding of DFM across multiple processes: injection molding, stamping, casting, composites, machining # **You are...** **Exceptional at what you do** — You have a track record of doing excellent work, solving difficult problems, and raising the bar for the people around you. We're a small team, and we need people who can operate at a very high level without needing a lot of direction. **An Owner** — You take responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks. You see what needs to happen, make decisions, and drive problems through to completion. **Curious and Rigorous** — You dig into hard problems, reason from first principles, and care about getting to the right answer—not just the fastest answer. **High Standards, Low Ego** — You care deeply about technical excellence while being collaborative, direct, humble, and good to the people around you. You make the team better, not just yourself. **Willing to Lean In** — We're building a company in a highly competitive market, and we're still proving ourselves. Most weeks should be sustainable, but there will be moments when the company needs us to sprint. When the moment matters, we expect people to step up, take ownership, and show up for the team. # Compensation & Benefits **Base Salary: $170,000 - $200,000** Meaningful equity participation through Brelle's Employee Incentive Plan. - Medical, dental, and vision (HMO/PPO) - 401(k) - Flexible PTO - Team meals twice a week - Monthly team events **Build something exceptional. Own your work. See it move.**