Sr. Technician (Mechanical and Thermal Testing)

Title: Sr. Technician (Mechanical and Thermal Testing)

Location: Cupertino, CA

Job Summary:

Seeking a Senior Technician to prepare samples, configure equipment, build and install test setups, and execute mechanical, shock, and controlled-heating tests under engineering direction. The role requires strong hands-on capability with Instron systems, DIC setups, instrumentation, environmental chambers, test documentation, and safe laboratory execution.

Core Testing Scope

1. Mechanical material testing: Prepare tensile dog-bone and compression specimens, install grips and fixtures, configure the Instron system, execute tests, and capture results.

2. Shock testing: Install battery modules in shock-test setups, attach accelerometers, configure acquisition settings, and record acceleration-versus-time and other high-speed test data.

3. Controlled-heating safety testing: Load test articles into controlled temperature/humidity chambers, enter prescribed heating profiles, operate the chamber, and support measurement of swelling and deformation during the test.

Responsibility:

• Develop and install test setups in accordance with engineering requirements and technical standards.
• Material testing for simulation input calibration

• Prepare specimens and samples, including supporting cutting or machining activities used to obtain samples from finished batteries.

• Configure and operate Instron test systems for tensile and compression testing; collect and export test data.

• Set up and operate Digital Image Correlation (DIC), including applying specimen speckles, positioning cameras, and supporting high-frame-rate image capture.

• Set up shock-test equipment, attach accelerometers, verify instrumentation, and capture high-speed dynamic data.

• Program and operate controlled temperature/humidity environmental chambers according to prescribed time-temperature profiles.

• Document SOPs, equipment settings, test configurations, sample details, observations, and results.

• Perform basic data checks and provide complete test records to the responsible engineer.

• Maintain safe laboratory practices while handling test samples, fixtures, instrumentation, and equipment.

Qualification:

• Demonstrated senior-level, hands-on experience in a mechanical, structural, reliability, automotive, consumer-electronics, or similar test laboratory.

• Hands-on experience operating Instron test equipment and associated control/data-acquisition software.

• Experience preparing specimens and executing tensile and compression tests.
• Must have hands-on experience with the following and able to guide technicians and trouble shoot as needed
  • Instron experience with programming the controller for different speeds and load vs. displacement control to perform tensile and compression tests, fixture design (CAD), sample preparation, battery cell tear-down experience, documentation of standard operating procedures, digital-image-correlation (DIC) for strain measurements.
  • thermocouple mounting / temperature measurements, pressure and flow rate sensors

• Hands-on familiarity with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) methods, setup and high speed video / high-frame-rate camera-based measurement.

• Working experience with shock or vibration testing & Setups (motion and acceleration measurement), accelerometers, and high-speed dynamic data acquisition.
• Heating/Oven/Environmental chamber testing including pressure and temperature monitoring

• Experience operating controlled temperature/humidity environmental chambers.

• Ability to follow test procedures, configure equipment and settings, record observations, and produce accurate test documentation.
• Focus on execution, implementation, following procedures defined by Mechanical & Thermal Battery Test Engineer.

Preferred Background

• Experience with fixture installation, sample gripping, basic machining, laser cutting, water-jet cutting, or similar sample-preparation methods.

• Experience supporting battery, module, component, or product safety and reliability testing.

• Battery-specific experience is helpful but not mandatory; battery cycling experience is not required.

• Education and total years of experience should be appropriate for a senior technician and supported by demonstrated test-floor capability.

Mandatory tools:

• Instron test systems and associated control/data-acquisition software.

• Digital Image Correlation (DIC) setup and high-frame-rate cameras.

• Shock-test systems, accelerometers, and data-acquisition equipment.

• Temperature- and humidity-controlled environmental chambers.