Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering

Location: Gachibowli, Hyderabad, India

Full-Time/Onsite

Role Overview

We are seeking a senior mechanical engineering leader to own battery structural integrity across the full product lifecycle—from early design and simulation through qualification testing and manufacturing ramp. This role leads a team of mechanical engineers at our Hyderabad R&D center and operates as a key technical partner to global R&D leadership. The ideal candidate combines deep FEA and structural analysis expertise with proven people management and cross-functional execution skills.

Responsibilities Leadership & Management

• Lead and grow a mechanical engineering team; set technical direction, manage performance, define career development paths, and foster a culture of continuous learning.

• Act as the primary liaison between mechanical engineering and senior R&D leadership, translating technical findings into business-relevant decisions.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration with electrochemistry, manufacturing, and operations teams across client's global sites (Fremont, Penang, Nonsan, Hyderabad).

• Make high-stakes technical decisions under uncertainty in a fast-paced R&D environment, balancing current product needs with next-generation development.

• Travel up to 15% of the time to support production launch and ramp activities, including supplier visits and on-site support at global company facilities.

Technical Scope

• Own battery structural integrity across the product lifecycle—from design and simulation through qualification testing and manufacturing.

• Direct development of micro- and macro-scale FEA models (ANSYS Mechanical, COMSOL, LS-Dyna) for battery structures, weld/adhesive joints, and dynamic fatigue (validated with nCode).

• Guide integrated modeling of mechanical, thermal, and electrochemical interactions in battery manufacturing and operation.

• Drive DOE-based design optimization (optiSLang or equivalent) and develop reduced-order models (ROM) to translate simulation insights into improved designs.

• Define material characterization test plans and oversee fixture design to extract required material properties.

• Lead root cause analysis on structural failures and define corrective actions.

• Define optimal operating windows for process tools and equipment relevant to battery design and manufacturing.

• Ensure battery integrity and safety compliance across qualification tests (drop, crush, etc.).

• Improve DFM guidelines and raw material supply chain quality standards.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Experience: 15+ years of mechanical engineering experience, with at least 5 years leading engineering teams.

• Education: M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.

• FEA expertise: Demonstrated expertise in structural FEA simulation (ANSYS Mechanical, COMSOL, or LS-Dyna) applied to structural integrity, fatigue, or failure analysis.

• Materials: Experience with material characterization—defining test requirements, interpreting results, and translating findings into design rules.

• Project execution: Track record managing cross-functional projects from concept through production, including engagement with operations and executive leadership.

• Judgment: Comfortable making high-stakes technical decisions in ambiguous, fast-moving R&D environments.

• Communication: Able to clearly convey complex technical concepts to non-engineering stakeholders and senior leadership. Preferred Skills

• Domain experience: Background in battery, consumer electronics, MEMS, or similarly miniaturized / high-precision manufacturing environments.

• Battery mechanics: Familiarity with electrochemical-mechanical interactions in lithium-ion cells (e.g., electrode swelling, pressure generation, SEI mechanics).

• Manufacturing: Knowledge of DFM principles and vendor/supply chain quality management.

• Modeling: Experience with reduced-order modeling (ROM) or design optimization tools (optiSLang, Dakota, or similar).

• Materials degradation: Corrosion and embrittlement assessment experience.

• CAD: Proficiency in SolidWorks, CATIA, or equivalent.