We are Universe Energy, and we are the battery dismantling and repurposing company.

Our mission is to scale battery reuse as the largest source of the next billion batteries. The world needs 2 billion batteries by 2050, but this comes at a huge cost to the planet, as we need to mine 30x more. We dismantle and sort used battery packs 7x faster and 50% cheaper than by hand using robotics, AI and sound for EV OEMs, battery makers and fleets. Once we dismantle 1000s of battery packs, we repurpose them into $4000 cheap grid batteries that are 20% cheaper than making new ones. Our vision is to become the leading maker of zero-impact batteries by building 1 million batteries/year by 2035. This will power a truly clean energy revolution at scale and reduce 6 Giga tons of CO2 by 2050. We are Universe Energy, and we make batteries eternal.

Job objective Before Bonobo disassembles the battery from pack to module, State-of-Health data is measured to determine the age, state, and value of the modules and cells in the battery pack. The data informs the best next step for its life: remanufacturing, repurposing, or recycling. Then the battery packs are discharged from residual power to prevent any danger. The battery packs are disassembled up to the module level based on the battery's configuration.

You will design the best sequences to disassemble them from pack to module level and beyond for high-volume EV battery packs. You will develop testing methods to obtain State of Health, battery value, and lifetime prediction through electrical, software, and non-intrusive pathways. You will lead the development of a grid battery design that allows repurposing of EV batteries into grid batteries. It also includes a novel platform for the battery management systems.

Your responsibilities

• Collaborate with the co-founding team on product and technology strategy, engineering road mapping, and research activities.
• Lead design, development, and delivery of products, technology, and initiate efforts in applied research.
• Recruit, lead, and mentor a team of battery-, electrical- and software engineers.
• Grow the team by sourcing, hiring, and onboarding of talented and passionate engineers. Nurture a strong engineering culture, responsible for delivering creative and scalable solutions.
• Perform system design reviews, trade-studies decisions, and lead make-buy decisions for the battery hardware & software technology stack.
• Manage industrial & research partnerships on technical development and deploy technology for pilot programs operationally.
• Support in drafting, managing, and filing the Intellectual Property portfolio with the IP firm.

How you will contribute

• Map disassembly sequences of high-volume EV batteries from pack up to the module level. Track decompositions of modules, materials, and cost breakdown of high-volume battery packs and store them in a database.
• Track state-of-the-art battery architectures, cell chemistries, and form factors to update testing, discharge, and disassembly methods, like LFP cell developments and cell-to-pack architectures.
• Design and integrate grid batteries from used EV batteries. It includes all structural, thermal, electrical, and sensing components required to make an integrated battery system out of 10s of modules or hundreds of cells.
• Design electrical diagnostics methods for State of Health data. Select develop hardware and software with vendors.
• Make software to measure, store and analyze SOH data from the BMS outputs through the CAN-bus. Model battery value, State of health, and lifecycle degradation predictions.
• Research non-intrusive testing methods to measure and assess State-of-Health through ultra-sonic, X-ray, and CT-based methods.
• Develop grid-based battery systems that integrate verified modules and cells based on required performance, lifetime & cost
• Design the battery management systems platform to integrate used modules and cells into repurposed grid batteries and perform load balancing of different sources.
• Run performance and lifetime testing for warranty and insurance requirements, manage the bill of materials and coorindate with vendors for making grid batteries.

The skills & experience that you bring

• At least a B.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Electrical-, Controls Engineering, or a similar field.
• 3-5 yrs experience developing battery cells, modules, BMS, High Voltage charging systems, power electronics, and/or ultrasonic systems.
• 3-5 yrs development experience in lithium-ion batteries (automotive/grid) and their composition, electrical architecture, wiring, and Battery management systems.
• 3-5 yrs research, development, and manufacturing experience in material research, battery cell development, and methods for cell production.
• 3+ yrs experience in simulating Electrical Power, Management, and Control Systems (Matlab/Simulink). It's applied to high-voltage charging systems and their respective charging and discharge profiles.
• 3+ yrs experience in developing BMS software in C++. Processing data from BMS and CAN bus communications through Python.
• Electrical modeling of the electrical battery and charging systems (LTSpice). PCB design experience in power electronics (Eagle/Altium).
• Non-intrusive testing methods applied to cell development like ultra-sonic, X-ray & CT-scans in lab, engineering, and manufacturing environments.

How to hit a homerun

• High-voltage certificate to work on battery disassembly by hand. Hands-on experience with fast charging and discharging systems.

Reach out to [email protected] for questions, comments and/or feedback before applying.