Senior Battery Design Engineer – Thermal Runaway

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The VX4, our eVTOL (electric, vertical take-off and landing), zero-emissions aircraft, will set a new safety standard for how we navigate the sky.

We won’t realise our mission by following the same legacy processes and traditions of the past. Instead, we’re redefining aerospace best practices to deliver a truly innovative and sustainable future.

We’re rapidly transitioning from a prototype business to a scaling SME. The next few years will be pivotal in achieving our goal of bringing the VX4 into commercial service by 2030.

What to Expect

As a Senior Battery Mechanical Design Engineer, you’ll join our Energy Storage System (ESS) team based in Bristol. This team is responsible for delivering the aircraft’s battery packs that power our fully electric propulsion system.

You’ll play a critical role in owning and leading sub-system design, from early concept through to verification and certification. You’ll work across disciplines and phases, producing robust designs and documentation to support build, test, and regulatory approval. From releasing detailed CATIA 3DX drawings to writing Statements of Work and DFMEA, your contributions will help define how we deliver energy safely and efficiently to our aircraft.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the mechanical and thermal design development of sub-systems within the VX4 battery packs.

• Produce technical specifications and detailed documentation to support builds and certification.

• Plan and manage large workstreams through multiple product lifecycle stages.

• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Quality teams to ensure timely delivery of components that meet key technical and quality criteria.

• Support and eventually build a design team to own delivery and certification of your sub-system.

• Represent your work clearly and concisely to senior management and stakeholders.

What You’ll Bring

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

• Minimum 7 years’ experience designing for energy storage or complex electro-mechanical systems.

• Expertise in PLM systems and CAD (ideally CATIA V6/3DX).

• Strong knowledge of battery pack thermal and runaway management.

• Ability to plan, manage and deliver large-scale engineering workstreams.

• Excellent presentation and communication skills.

• In-depth experience in GD&T, tolerance analysis and Key/Critical Characteristics.

• Strong background in DFMA and DFMEA, with awareness of related controls (e.g. PFMEA, Verification Plans).

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional collaboration across Mechanical, Thermal, Electrical, Manufacturing, Integration, and Systems Engineering.

Desirable

• Experience with aerospace qualification and certification processes.

• Deep understanding of battery-specific manufacturing and assembly techniques.

• Mechanical or thermal simulation capability.

• Experience managing non-conformances and design changes.

• End-to-end product development experience—from concept through to production and in-service support.

• Familiarity with DFMEA tools (e.g. APIS-IQ) and Requirements Management platforms (e.g. DOORS, JAMA).

What can you expect from us?

We\’re on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn\’t your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career.

Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we\’re going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal.

Our benefits

Our people matter – we\’re not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials.

• 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday

• 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell)

• 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership

• Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits

• Award-winning digital health and wellbeing service ( )

• Company performance based bonus – rewarding company and individual performance

• Company Share Scheme – open to every Vertical employee

• Company Pension Scheme – 5% and we match it

• Breakfast on us, every day

We may just be the hardest job you\’ve ever had, but we\’re confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility.

Disclaimer Statement

We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.

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