Test Engineer, Battery Systems

Test Engineer, Battery Systems

Proterra offers a dynamic and supportive workplace where our employees can thrive personally and professionally. With cutting-edge facilities and groundbreaking projects, Proterra offers unique opportunities to grow, collaborate, and lead transformative change in the electrification of heavy-duty transportation and equipment.
Our commitment to innovation extends beyond our battery solutions to our people, where we create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to drive change for the earth. Here at Proterra we strive to foster a culture of inclusivity, valuing diverse perspectives and encouraging bold ideas, allowing our employees to bring their full selves to work. Our employees benefit from competitive total rewards packages, and opportunities to develop professionally.

Position Overview

This position as part of the Test Engineering organization will provide comprehensive test engineering support to Proterra’s Battery Engineering team and Proterra Technology Lab. You will be responsible for planning, executing and reporting on reliability/safety tests on modules and packs . Additionally, you will be responsible for the advancement of the Technology Lab testing capabilities.

About the Role – You will:

• Own the specifications, methodology, setup, execution, and reporting of tests on high voltage battery packs, sub-systems, and components.


• Adapt and develop test equipment for increased fidelity, repeatability, and new product requirements.


• Collaborate with the Systems engineering team to understand product and stakeholder requirements to develop appropriate test methodologies.


• Provide clear and concise documentation related to tests, including reports on parts under test and their status.


• Capture identified failures in detail and work with engineering to facilitate resolution.


• Participate in failure analysis process by providing detailed information surrounding failures in test articles.


• Design, implement, and document, data acquisition, and automation scripts.


• Build LabVIEW programs to log data, communicate with test articles, and process complex sets of data.


• Troubleshoot and debug issues with test equipment and drive corrective actions.


• Prioritize and complete tasks to meet deadlines.


• Provide design input to improve product safety, reliability, and performance when necessary.


• Interact with a wide variety of individuals and teams to communicate results.


• Create work instructions and best practices for other engineers and technicians to follow.


• Create and maintain test procedures and reports in cloud-bases systems such as Jira, Confluence, and Jama.


• Initiate and drive equipment and process improvements in the Proterra Technology Lab

About You:

• Self-starter with the ability to adapt interpersonal styles and techniques to influence at all levels of the organization.


• Customer-focused attitude, with high level of professionalism and discretion.


• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality, establish trust and credibility, and act with complete integrity.


• Detail-oriented, resourceful, and diligent with strong record-keeping and organizational skills


• Flexible and open to change.


• Strong time management and organizational skills.


• Sound judgment and problem-solving skills.


• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.


• Comfortable in a test lab environment with a hands-on approach to problem solving.

Your Experience Includes:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, mechatronics engineering, or other engineering degree.


• 2+ years of testing experience

Nice to Have:

• Experience in executing destructive safety and abuse tests.


• Experience with LabVIEW, data acquisition systems, digital and analog interfaces for PCs, test systems, etc.


• Experience with scripting languages such as python, MATLAB, C, VBA, etc.


• Experience with automotive CAN and J1939 communication networks.


• Experience in an R&D testing environment.


• Experience with test instrumentation and measurements (i.e., temperature, current, voltage, impedance, isolation, etc.).

Location: Burlingame, CA

Travel: 0 – 10%

Compensation: $110.179-126,706

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Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. There is no immigration sponsorship available for this role (ex: H1-B, OPT, CPT, TN or any other employment sponsorship).

Proterra is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all Employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local