Senior Performance Engineer Jobs in Irvine, CA (NOW HIRING)

Pack Performance Engineer 

Battery Systems / Pack Engineering 

Department:  Battery Systems / Pack Engineering 

Reports to:  Head of Battery Systems Engineering (or Pack Engineering Lead) 

Level:  Senior / Staff Engineer 

Location:  United States (site aligned to Gotion's North America engineering footprint) 

Role Summary 

The Pack Performance Engineer owns the technical bridge between cell, BMS, and vehicle: defining and validating how a battery pack performs across its power boundaries, thermal envelope, and system requirements. This is a hybrid role that sits deliberately at the intersection of three disciplines - BMS/controls, systems engineering, and pack hardware/thermal - rather than living entirely inside one. You will define power and SOC/SOP limits and see them through to vehicle integration, translate performance requirements into validated system attributes, and own pack-level thermal and hardware performance from design through DVP. 

Core Focus Areas 

1. BMS Interface, Power Limits & Vehicle Integration 

• Define battery charge/discharge current limits, combining SOC, temperature, and cell capability to establish accurate power boundaries 

• Own SOC estimation and SOP (state of power) algorithm inputs and validation 

• Lead cell balancing strategy and isolation measurement verification 

• Drive BMS and Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) integration, ensuring pack performance data and limits are correctly interpreted at the vehicle level 

• Support functional safety testing and requirements across chemistries (e.g. NCM, LFP) 

• Assess the impact of production ramp, design changes, and process changes on battery system performance 

2. Battery System Requirements & Performance Validation 

• Translate electrified-powertrain architecture and performance targets into clear, traceable battery system requirements 

• Own performance-attribute definition and specification across the battery system 

• Build and maintain functional safety traceability from requirement to validation 

• Lead systems-level validation planning and execution across battery systems, requirements, and vehicle integration 

• Partner with powertrain, controls, and vehicle integration teams to keep requirements and validation evidence aligned 

3. Pack Hardware Performance & Thermal Management 

• Own pack-level performance evaluation: available power, internal resistance, and thermal performance 

• Provide pack performance input into BMS configuration 

• Lead battery performance testing including thermal cycling, thermal runaway characterization, and DVP (Design Verification Plan) execution 

• Support custom high-voltage battery pack design, prototype build, and validation 

• Own pack thermal / cooling system development, from concept through validated performance 

• Analyze capacity, DCIR, cell-disconnect behavior and other pack-level performance data to inform design decisions 

Required Experience & Qualifications 

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field 

• 7+ years of experience in battery systems, BMS, or pack engineering at an EV OEM or battery systems supplier 

• Hands-on experience with SOC/SOP estimation, cell balancing, and isolation measurement 

• Demonstrated experience defining charge/discharge current limits and power boundaries across SOC, temperature, and cell capability 

• BMS and Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) integration experience 

• Experience defining battery system requirements and performance attributes, with functional safety traceability 

• Experience with pack thermal design and validation - thermal cycling, thermal runaway, and DVP 

• Experience with high-voltage battery pack design, prototyping, and validation 

• Working familiarity with multiple cell chemistries (e.g. NCM, LFP) 

• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills across systems, controls, hardware, and vehicle integration teams 

Preferred 

• A demonstrated "T-shaped" background spanning both BMS/controls and pack hardware/thermal domains, rather than depth in only one 

• Experience in a high-volume EV production environment, including support through production ramp 

• Direct ownership of functional safety (ISO 26262) traceability from requirement to validation 

• Prior experience at an EV OEM or battery systems integrator (e.g. supporting passenger, commercial, or energy storage platforms) 

This role profile reflects a converged target persona validated against real market benchmarks across BMS/vehicle-integration, systems/requirements, and pack-hardware/thermal backgrounds. It is intended as a working draft for hiring-manager review before search begins.