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