Job Description
We are Universe Energy and we make batteries eternal.
Our mission is to make the next billion batteries out of used ones and reverse the need for mining. The problem is that batteries are challenging to reuse today because supply is constrained by expensive shipping, non-standard testing, and dangerous disassembly by hand. We streamline the supply of 2nd life batteries by scanning how good they still are and dismantling them. We automate this process for all types of EV batteries using a visual "brain scan" on the battery and robots to dismantle them at 50% of the cost. Once we have thousands of batteries flowing through our disassembly line, we’ll turn batteries into cheap grid storage packs. This prevents the need for new battery manufacturing, mining raw materials, and postpones recycling. Our vision is to become the world’s largest maker of clean batteries by making the next billion batteries from used ones. It will power a truly clean energy revolution and reduce 7 Gton of CO2 by 2050.
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 and non-intrusive pathways. You will design electrical systems to discharge modules in parallell while you will operationalize the batttery testing infrastructure at the pilot facility with vendors and partners.
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 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 electrical discharging systems to remove current from battery modules that are configured in parallel.
- Run performance and lifetime testing for warranty and insurance requirements, manage the bill of materials of testing infrastructure and coorindate with vendors.
- Perform system design reviews, trade-studies decisions, and lead make-buy decisions for the battery hardware & software technology stack.
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 engineering experience in high-voltage charging and discharging sytems with prototocols applied to EV charging systems and/or or charging infrastructure.
- 3-5 yrs research, development, and manufacturing experience in material research, battery cell development, and methods for cell production.
- 3+ non-intrusive testing methods applied to cell development like ultra-sonic, X-ray & CT-scans in lab, engineering, and manufacturing environments.
- 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).
How to hit a homerun
- High-voltage certificate to work on battery disassembly by hand. Hands-on experience with fast charging and discharging systems.