POSITION SUMMARY
We are seeking a highly experienced Lead Mechanical Engineer specialising in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to join our growing Energy Storage Division. The successful candidate will own the end-to-end mechanical design, structural analysis, and certification of 20-foot ISO containerised battery enclosures and related infrastructure, from concept through commissioning. This is a senior individual-contributor and technical-leadership role that directly influences product architecture, manufacturing partners, and regulatory compliance strategy — including the full suite of relevant IEC and international standards.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Enclosure & Container Design
- Lead the full mechanical design lifecycle of 20-foot battery container/enclosure systems, including structural frames, base skids, wall panels, roofing, doors, and lifting lugs.
- Develop and own 3D CAD models and detailed engineering drawings (GD&T) for fabrication, using SolidWorks, CATIA, or equivalent parametric tools.
- Define and manage BOM structures, part numbering, and revision control in PLM/PDM systems.
- Specify and select enclosure materials (steel, stainless, aluminium, composites) based on corrosion class, fire rating, and thermal requirements.
- Design internal layout for battery rack integration, cable management, thermal management, and auxiliary equipment (HVAC, fire suppression, electrical panels).
- Drive Design-for-Manufacture (DFM) and Design-for-Assembly (DFA) reviews with contract manufacturers.
- Ensure container dimensional and structural interface compliance with ISO 668 and ISO 1496-1 (series 1 freight container specifications).
2. Structural Analysis & FEA
- Perform and lead structural analysis of enclosure assemblies under seismic, wind, snow, dead, and live load combinations per applicable codes (IBC, ASCE 7, Eurocode EN 1993 as needed).
- Conduct or oversee Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using ANSYS, Abaqus, or SolidWorks Simulation for stress, fatigue, buckling, and modal analysis.
- Specify and review welder qualifications, weld procedures (WPS/PQR), and non-destructive examination (NDE/NDT) requirements.
- Produce and review structural calculation packages for permit submission and third-party PE-stamped peer review.
3. Regulatory Compliance & Certification
- Ensure all designs meet FEMA requirements for Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) zones, including flood-proofing, elevation certificates, and FEMA 348/FIA-TB-2 compliance.
- Lead UL 9540 / UL 9540A, NFPA 855, IFC, and NEC 706 compliance reviews for containerised BESS installations.
- Interface with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), PE stamp requirements, and third-party certification bodies (UL, TÜV, Intertek, Bureau Veritas).
- Manage seismic qualification per ICC-ES AC156, IBC Chapter 16, and ASCE 7-22 for site-specific risk categories.
- Coordinate with EPC partners and site civil engineers on foundation loads, anchor bolt design, and geotechnical interface.
- Apply and interpret the full IEC BESS standards suite across mechanical design, safety, environmental, and transport domains — see dedicated IEC Standards section below.
4. Thermal & Environmental Management
Define thermal management strategy (liquid cooling, HVAC, ventilation) to maintain cell and BMS temperatures within OEM-specified limits across ambient design range (typically
- 30°C to +50°C).
- Conduct or review CFD analyses (Fluent, FloEFD, or similar) for internal airflow and hotspot mitigation.
- Specify ingress protection (IP) ratings per IEC 60529 and NEMA enclosure classifications; design door seals, cable gland arrays, and ventilation baffles accordingly.
- Ensure environmental endurance of enclosure per IEC 60068 test series (thermal cycling, damp heat, salt mist, vibration, shock).
5. Fire & Safety Systems Integration
- Define mechanical interface requirements for aerosol, FM-200, CO?, or water-mist fire suppression systems per NFPA 855 and OEM requirements.
- Specify deflagration venting panels, explosion-proof fittings, and duct penetration seals per IEC 60079-series (ATEX/IECEx) and NEC Class I Div 2 requirements.
- Specify minimum ventilation rates for battery rooms/enclosures per IEC 62485-3 to prevent accumulation of flammable off-gases.
- Collaborate with safety engineering to execute HAZOP, FMEA, and PHA for mechanical systems per IEC 62933-5-2 risk assessment methodology.
6. Battery Module & System Interface
- Define mechanical mounting, vibration isolation, and thermal interface requirements for battery racks and modules, ensuring compliance with IEC 62619 and IEC 63056.
- Verify UN 38.3 transport qualification evidence for all lithium cell and module assemblies; specify shock and vibration isolator requirements to maintain qualification compliance after installation.
- Specify module-level mechanical boundary conditions (load paths, clearances, cable routing) in coordination with battery OEM and electrical teams.
7. Technical Leadership & Project Management
- Act as technical lead and mentor for junior/mid mechanical engineers on the BESS product team.
- Drive design reviews (PDR, CDR, FDR) and manage action items to closure.
- Coordinate across electrical, controls, civil, and procurement disciplines to maintain interface control documents (ICDs).
- Develop and execute mechanical qualification test plans (vibration, drop, IP, thermal cycling) with internal and external test labs.
- Support project management on schedule, scope, and risk for mechanical deliverables.
IEC & INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS REFERENCE
The table below lists the primary IEC and related international standards the candidate must be able to apply, interpret, and cite in design documentation, test plans, and certification submissions. This list reflects the current BESS regulatory landscape; the candidate is expected to monitor IEC TC 120, TC 21, and TC 21A work programmes for emerging revisions.
BESS Mechanical Applicability
A | BESS System-Level — IEC TC 120 (IEC 62933 Family)
EES systems — Terminology and definitions
Baseline vocabulary for all BESS documentation
Unit parameters and testing methods — Basic requirements
Container-level acceptance test procedures & KPIs
Performance and capacity testing — Cycle-life & calendar-life
Structural and thermal design life verification
Planning and performance assessment of EES systems
Container sizing, layout, and system modelling
Guidance on environmental issues
LCA, material restrictions, end-of-life design
Requirements for environmental assessment
Disposal, recycling, RoHS/REACH interface
Safety requirements for grid-integrated EES systems
Overarching safety framework, grid-connected containers
Safety requirements — electrochemical-based EES systems
Hazard ID, risk assessment, protective measures
B | Cell & Battery Safety — IEC TC 21 / TC 21A
Safety requirements for secondary Li cells — industrial applications
Thermal runaway prevention, BMS req., abuse tolerance
Safety requirements for secondary Li cells for EES systems
System-level integration safety; complements IEC 62619
Safety requirements — stationary batteries (ventilation)
Minimum ventilation rates for battery enclosures
Safety requirements — stationary use of lithium-ion batteries
Container installation rules for Li-ion systems
Secondary cells for renewable energy storage — stand-alone systems
General requirements and cycle endurance testing
Secondary cells for renewable energy storage — on-grid applications
Grid-connected performance and endurance criteria
Secondary cells — alkaline & non-acid electrolytes
Applicable for alternative chemistry containerised BESS
Safety of Li cells/batteries during transport
Type-testing, shipping label, packaging compliance
Lithium battery transport testing (UN Manual Part III §38.3)
Altitude, thermal, vibration, shock, short-circuit tests; isolator specification
Series 1 freight containers — classification & dimensions
20-ft container dimensional & interface compliance
Series 1 freight containers — specification & testing
Stacking, racking, lashing, forklift/crane loads
Freight containers — coding, ID, and marking
Container labelling and identification requirements
D | Environmental & IP Protection
Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
Seal design for doors, glands, vents; IP rating testing
Environmental testing — procedures (temperature, humidity, salt, vibration, shock)
Qualification test plan for container environmental endurance
High-voltage switchgear and controlgear — common specifications
MV equipment interface inside BESS containers
HV/LV prefabricated substations
Integral MV/LV transformer switchgear in container
E | Fire, Hazardous Atmosphere & Electrical Safety
IEC 60079-series (ATEX/IECEx)
Explosive atmospheres — equipment & protection
Ventilation design, zone classification, Ex-rated fittings
AV/IT equipment — safety requirements
BMS electronics, control panels, HMI inside enclosure
Primary batteries — safety of lithium batteries
Auxiliary/UPS lithium circuits within enclosure
F | Grid Integration & Power Quality — IEC TC 77 / TC 57
Power quality measurements — methods
Grid interconnection monitoring & acceptance
EMC — generic emission & immunity standards
Enclosure shielding, cable routing, bonding
Communication systems for power utility automation
SCADA/BMS interface definition inside enclosure
Distributed energy resources — grid interconnection
AC point-of-interconnection grid code compliance
G | Quality, Safety Management & Functional Safety
Functional safety of E/E/PE safety-related systems
SIL determination for BMS protective functions
Functional safety — machinery
Safety integrity requirements for container interlocks
Quality management systems
Design and manufacturing process control
Environmental management systems
Applicable to supply chain and product lifecycle
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Bachelor's degree (B.E. / B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering from an accredited institution — required.
- Master's degree (M.E. / M.S.) in Mechanical, Structural, or Systems Engineering — preferred.
- Professional Engineer (PE) license — highly preferred; or demonstrated progress toward licensure.
Experience
- 10–15 years of progressive mechanical engineering experience, with a minimum of 5 years directly in BESS, energy storage, or high-power industrial enclosure design.
- Proven track record of taking 20-foot ISO-standard containerised systems from concept to certified, field-deployed product.
- Hands-on experience with structural analysis under seismic and wind codes (ASCE 7, IBC, or international equivalents).
- Direct experience navigating FEMA floodplain compliance for outdoor energy storage installations.
- Experience with UL 9540 / NFPA 855 certification pathways — required.
- Demonstrated working knowledge of the IEC 62933 series and IEC 62619 / IEC 63056 — required.
- Familiarity with ISO 668 / ISO 1496-1 container standards and UN 38.3 transport qualification — required.
Technical Skills
- CAD: SolidWorks (preferred), CATIA V5/V6, Creo, or NX — advanced 3D modelling and drawing release.
- FEA: ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, or SolidWorks Simulation — independent analysis capability.
- CFD: Fluent, FloEFD, or equivalent — thermal/airflow modelling.
- US Codes & Standards: ASCE 7, IBC, NFPA 855, UL 9540/9540A, NEC 706, FEMA 348, IFC, ICC-ES AC156.
- IEC / International Standards: IEC 62933 (all parts), IEC 62619, IEC 63056, IEC 62485-3/-5, IEC 61427-1/-2, IEC 60529, IEC 60068, IEC 60079, IEC 62281, UN 38.3, ISO 668, ISO 1496-1.
- GD&T: ASME Y14.5 proficiency for drawing interpretation and creation.
- Manufacturing: Sheet metal fabrication, structural steel welding (AWS D1.1/D1.3), surface finishing, and assembly processes.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with lithium-ion chemistry BESS products (LFP, NMC) and cell/module/rack-level thermal interface requirements.
- Familiarity with IEC TC 120 work programme — ability to track standard revisions and assess impact on product design.
- IECEx / ATEX equipment selection and zone documentation experience.
- ICC-ES report management or PE-stamped calculation package submission experience.
- Exposure to utility-scale project environments and EPC execution models.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent continuous improvement qualification.
COMPETENCIES & ATTRIBUTES
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to defend engineering decisions with calculations and test data.
- Clear technical communicator — able to present to executives, customers, and AHJs with equal fluency.
- Ownership mentality: comfortable driving decisions across cross-functional teams without direct authority.
- Standards-fluent: reads primary IEC/ISO documents directly rather than relying solely on third-party summaries.
- Detail-oriented in document control while maintaining sight of the system-level objective.
- Adaptable to a fast-paced, project-driven environment with shifting priorities.
WHAT WE OFFER
- Competitive base salary commensurate with 10–15 years of specialised BESS experience.
- Performance bonus, equity / profit-sharing programme (role dependent).
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
- Employer-matched retirement plan (401k or equivalent).
- Professional development budget: certifications, conferences, IEC/ISO standards access.
- Flexible hybrid work arrangement for non-project-critical periods.
- Opportunity to shape flagship products at the forefront of the global energy transition.
