Snr Mechanical Engineer

Overview

Senior Mechanical Engineer – Li-ion Battery Cell Development (Cell Design) at Agratas

Location: Oxford, UK

Function: Cell Technology / Cell Design

Reports To: Head of Cell Design – Cell Technology / Cell Development

Line Management: Yes – up to 4 direct reports

Opportunity

Join Agratas, Tata Group’s global battery business, and play a key role in shaping the future of energy storage. As a Senior Mechanical Engineer within our Cell Design team, you will lead the mechanical development of Li-ion battery cells, focusing on performance, safety, manufacturability, and scalability.

Working at our world-class R&D Centre in Oxford, you’ll collaborate with cell design, R&D, and process engineering teams to develop innovative mechanical solutions that bring next-generation batteries to life.

Responsibilities

• Cell Design & Development: Develop and optimize mechanical components of battery cells (substrates, tabs, can hardware, etc.).
• Lead and execute test plans to validate mechanical performance, energy density, and cycle life targets.
• Materials Selection: Evaluate materials for mechanical, thermal, and electrical performance, as well as cost and manufacturability.
• Prototype Scale-Up: Translate lab-scale designs into pilot-ready prototypes in collaboration with process engineering.
• Create and manage mechanical drawings, specifications, and documentation for manufacturing readiness.
• Lead cross-functional reviews to support go/no-go decisions.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Integrate DFM principles including stack-up analysis and design margin analysis (DMA).
• Ensure designs meet production, yield, and cost targets for mass manufacturing.
• Innovation & Problem Solving: Identify and implement mechanical innovations to improve safety, energy density, and manufacturability.
• Lead root cause analysis and develop robust solutions under tight deadlines.

What You Will Bring

• Significant hands-on experience in battery cell mechanical design, ideally in high-performance or automotive-focused Li-ion technologies.

Cell Mechanical Design Expertise

• Strong knowledge of Li-ion cell mechanical architecture and its integration into modules, packs, and systems.
• Experience interpreting mechanical requirements from higher-level systems and translating them into component-level designs.

Product Development & Engineering Tools

• Proficient in CAD (e.g., CATIA, SolidWorks), GD&T, and mechanical drawing creation.
• Experience supporting DFMEA and APQP milestones.
• Familiar with ultrasonic welding and mechanical joining processes.

Materials Knowledge

• Deep understanding of materials used in energy storage systems and their impact on safety and performance.

Prototyping & Industrialisation

• Direct experience in taking mechanical designs from concept to pilot production.
• Collaborated with vendors to ensure part feasibility and spec compliance.

Simulation & Analysis

• Skilled in data analysis and modelling tools (e.g., FEA, CFD, tolerance/stack-up analysis).
• Able to interpret simulations and test data to inform design improvements.

Leadership Skills

• Proven experience mentoring junior engineers and leading small technical teams.
• Strong stakeholder management, with the ability to build trusted relationships across engineering, manufacturing, and supplier groups.

Teamwork & Communication

• Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Capable of working closely with internal teams and external suppliers to drive aligned outcomes.

Education

• PhD (or equivalent experience) in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.