Battery Modeling Engineer

About the role

The Battery Modeling Engineer will be part of Zipline's Systems Modeling Team, which develops physics-based models used to architect, optimize, and validate Zipline's aircraft hardware and operational systems. The team works across battery systems, thermal systems, controls, aerodynamics, electrical engineering, and fleet operations to guide key engineering and product decisions. In this role, you will own end-to-end battery modeling capabilities spanning cell-level electrochemical models (SPM/SPMe/P2D) and equivalent circuit models, pack-level battery models across multiple fidelities, and battery state estimation algorithms. You will also be responsible for Zipline's cell electrochemistry roadmap and cell selection, working internally and with cell vendors to benchmark and identify emerging opportunities and drive forward new cell candidates. Your role doesn't just stop at battery modeling. You will also work to integrate battery and energy models into fleet-level and real-time operational software, supporting large-scale optimizations and highly efficient runtime algorithms. Autonomous decisions made by the fleet, such as what rate to charge at to optimize turnaround time versus battery health, will be guided by your models.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and own cell-level battery models across multiple fidelities, including electrochemical models (SPM/SPMe/P2D) and equivalent circuit models, to support cell selection and optimize performance, fast charging capability, and battery lifetime.
• Design and analyze battery characterization and validation test campaigns including EIS, HPPC, OCV, and cycle/calendar aging studies.
• Develop and validate pack-level electro-thermal battery models across multiple fidelities to predict electrical and thermal non-uniformities and guide hardware reliability and operational limits during high-power operation and charging.
• Implement and integrate electrochemical battery models within Zipline's existing simulation frameworks, while improving existing battery modeling capabilities across multiple fidelities.
• Develop and improve battery state estimation and controls-oriented algorithms including SOC/SOH/SOE/SOP estimation and aging-aware charging current limit estimation.
• Collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, systems modeling, and test engineers to develop, validate, and deploy battery models.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional experience (or PhD + 2 years) in battery modeling, with a focus on electrochemical modeling.
• A strong understanding of fundamental physics:
• Cell electrochemistry
• Heat transfer and thermodynamics
• Electrical circuits
• Strong background in electrochemical battery modeling including SPM/SPMe/P2D models, equivalent circuit models, and cell degradation mechanisms.
• Experience designing and analyzing battery characterization and validation test campaigns including EIS, HPPC, OCV, and cycle/calendar aging studies.
• Experience using at least one of the following: MATLAB, Python, Julia, C++, or Rust.
• Strong understanding of numerical methods and optimization fundamentals.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex systems and datasets in simple terms and synthesize information from disparate sources into clear, concise insights.
• Advanced degree (MS or PhD preferred) in Mechanical Engineer

Benefits

Additional Information

About Zipline Zipline is the world's largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world's largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products. Our customers include the world's largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we've built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations. Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe. We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people's lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.

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