Mechanical Design Engineer

About the Company:

Agratas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons. We design, develop and manufacture high-quality, high-performance, sustainable batteries for the mobility and energy sectors.

We are a scale-up business with a start-up mentality and the backing of a well-established parent company. We develop next-generation battery technologies at our state-of-the-art R&D Innovation Hubs in India and the UK and we want to grow our teams with the brightest minds from within the industry.

Our battery technology roadmap is based on a foundation of world-class solutions for multiple applications. Collaborating with our technical partners, we are industrialising best-in-class high energy density and long-lasting battery cells. We are also committed to developing the next generation of battery technologies.

Role Profile:

The Mechanical Design Engineer is a crucial role in the Agratas Pack Team. This role requires a high level of analytical and critical thinking. This role is required to lead engineering activities within the scope of a defined project, including coordination of resources, planning of timelines, and delivery of engineering milestones and support team and company initiatives with a similar approach. The Mechanical Design Local Leader will have a direct impact on the company's ability to design, develop, and deliver safe, reliable, and high-performance battery systems to customers and is expected to be a working manager.

This role has direct reports and is responsible for team management in addition to supporting strategic direction as it related to the Mechanical Design Global Team. This includes supporting team initiative development, team goal setting, and regular alignment with the global lead.

Role responsibilities include:

• Oversee the design of battery modules, packs, enclosures, and thermal management systems for the local team. Ensure designs are robust, cost-effective, and meet all technical specifications and safety standards

• Work to optimize designs for performance, weight, cost, manufacturability, and ease of assembly. Ensure that the design is compatible with the overall system architecture, including electrical and cooling systems.

• Collaborate with electrical engineers, system engineers, and other teams to ensure seamless integration of mechanical design with other aspects of the battery system, such as electrical architecture and software

• Identify potential risks in the design process and develop strategies to mitigate them. This includes risks related to safety, performance, cost, and manufacturing challenges

• Manage the local team of mechanical engineers, guiding them through the design process, reviewing their work, and ensuring adherence to quality standards. Provide mentorship to junior engineers and foster career development.

• Ensure that team members have the resources they need (tools, training, time, etc.) to execute their tasks effectively.

• Oversee the creation of prototypes and support validation testing to ensure designs meet the performance, safety, and regulatory standards required for production.

• Work with project managers, engineering, manufacturing and suppliers to devise a plan that meets customer timing & milestones.

• Conduct design reviews at various stages of the project to ensure that designs meet specifications and requirements. Address any issues identified during reviews, ensuring that changes are made promptly

• Lead failure analysis activities to troubleshoot and resolve issues related to battery systems. Work with the team to refine designs based on test results and operational data

• Collaborate with suppliers for sourcing components and materials, ensuring that they meet the required technical specifications and quality standards. Participate in supplier evaluations and negotiations.

• Ensure that all designs comply with relevant industry standards, such as ISO 26262 for functional safety, UL, IEC, UNECE R100, and any customer-specific standards.

• Implement lessons learned and identify areas for continuous improvement within the design process to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve quality.

• Manage design costs by identifying opportunities for cost reduction through efficient design practices, while maintaining quality and performance standards.

• Support the global lead in establishing global initiatives and global team goal setting

Qualifications and Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of mechanical design engineering experience

• Degree (BEng, MEng, MSc) in a relevant engineering discipline (e.g., Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field)

• High Voltage (HV) Safety Training & Certification (e.g., HV Awareness, HV Working, or equivalent) – or willingness to obtain as the job role requires

• The Mechanical Design Local Leader must have in depth knowledge of HV Battery system and systems engineering principles as it pertains to HV battery systems

• Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills; able to own assignments, lead by example, etc.

• Proven experience in a Mechanical design & Engineering; expertise in the design and integration of high-voltage battery packs, modules, and enclosures for electric vehicles (EVs).

• Proficiency in using CAD software, FEA simulations for structural and thermal analysis of battery components.

• Strong mechanical design engineering skills with a good track record of delivering projects on time. It is core to the success of our business that this role is motivated to succeed, proactive and accountable and is unafraid to make decisions based on the facts available.

• Working experience with Standards like ECE R100, ISO 26262, ISO 16949 and GBT etc.

• Automotive development processes. Knowledge of ASPICE is advantageous

• Driven to delivering high quality projects, on time and budget, beyond customer expectations.

• Experience with global development teams and suppliers in the EV or ESS domain.