R&D - Mechanical Cell Design Engineer

• Application Deadline: Aug. 23, 2024
• On-site

Job Description

We are building a state-of-the-art facility and a world-class team of technologists for R&D into next-generation battery cells. We are now looking for a Mechanical Cell Design Engineer. Are you up for the challenge of bringing mechanical cell design from the early concept phase, ensuring cost, performance and manufacturability all the way to a real EV battery cell product that will be mass-produced in our upcoming giga factory?

At NOVO Energy we enable Volvo Cars to go fully electric by 2030. We are a start-up, with the benefit of funding and expertise from our two strong mother companies Northvolt & Volvo Cars. Embrace an awe-inspiring challenge and be at the forefront of technological advancement. We are focused on integrating cutting-edge cell technology into vehicle design, ensuring safety, performance, and sustainability. Together we push the boundaries of battery design in a fast-paced environment.

You will report to the R&D Cell Platforms Director, and work cross-functionally, collaborating closely with process engineering teams, suppliers, and Volvo Cars to drive the development of next-generation batteries.

What You'll Do

We are now approaching the first prismatic cell builds A-sample, prismatic-can and lid designs need to be created and prototypes ordered from suppliers. You will take part in this large work scope towards suppliers consisting of supplier sourcing, project management, manufacturability- and cost optimization.

• Ownership of development cell sample designs such as pouch cell drawings
• Collaboration with simulation engineers to get indicative results on performance related to thermal, crush and swell behavior.
• Develop dimensions and tolerances of the assemblies together with process engineering to ensure compatibility with the manufacturing process.
• Process drawings, acting as instructions for operators in all cell assembly steps.
• To ensure requirement fulfillment of your design, you will take part in validation result reviews.

Approaching the B-sample phase, quality and manufacturability will be in the spotlight. Necessary changes need to happen quickly, requiring coordinated work with suppliers and internal stakeholders.

Your Background

You share our passion for innovation and are a skilled collaborator who contributes to an inclusive working environment with shared goals and mutual trust. To succeed fully in this role, you should be highly organized and possess effective communication skills.

• Experience from Mechanical Engineering including:
  • Engineering Design (CAD, Computer-Aided Design, Drawings)
  • Thermodynamics
  • Electrical engineering
  • Material science
  • Manufacturing processes
  • 3 years' experience in the industry, preferably related to battery cell development or manufacturing:
  • Experience with product development projects and phases of development
  • Requirement and validation
  • Practical experience in metal workshop
  • Beneficial is an understanding of basic cell behaviors such as swelling, temperature influence and safety as well as general battery system design knowledge
  • Experience from cross-functional teamwork

Our Offer

We offer you an R&D environment, with a clear goal to ship product. Our facility is located in the central parts of Gothenburg, a small but international city with a lot to offer and the nature around the corner. We will support you in a potential relocation and our comp package covers benefits to encourage a good work-life balance while being part of an exhilarating global venture!

We would like to inform you that our recruitment process may take longer than usual due to the holiday season. We ask for your understanding as our lead times are extended during the summer, and we appreciate your patience. We will review your application as soon as possible and get back to you at the earliest opportunity.

About the company

Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world. Northvolt is a leading supplier of sustainable, high-quality battery cells and systems, dedicated to delivering the world’s greenest lithium-ion battery. Together, we have formed a joint venture, NOVO Energy, to power the next generation of pure electric Volvo cars.

Our Gigafactory in Gothenburg will be one of the largest cell production facilities in Europe, with a potential annual cell production capacity of up to 50 gigawatt hours (GWh) - thereby enabling a supply of batteries for approximately half a million Volvo cars per year. Our state-of-the-art R&D facility will gather leading expertise from all over the world, to create the next generation battery cells.

You can read more about this joint venture in these press releases, here and here.

2022R&D facility established

2023Start of construction of Gigafactory in Gothenburg

2024Volvo Cars will source 15 GWh of battery cells per year from Northvolt Ett in Skellefteå

202550% of Volvo Cars’ global sales will be fully electric

2026Production start of Gigafactory in Gothenburg

2030Volvo Cars will offer only pure electric cars