Staff Application Engineer

Proterra offers a dynamic and supportive workplace where our employees can thrive personally and professionally. With cutting-edge facilities and groundbreaking projects, Proterra offers unique opportunities to grow, collaborate, and lead transformative change in the electrification of heavy-duty transportation and equipment.

Our commitment to innovation extends beyond our battery solutions to our people, where we create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to drive change for the earth. Here at Proterra we strive to foster a culture of inclusivity, valuing diverse perspectives and encouraging bold ideas, allowing our employees to bring their full selves to work. Our employees benefit from competitive total rewards packages, and opportunities to develop professionally.

Position Overview:

This position on the Proterra Application Engineering team is part of the broader Customer Engineering organization that supports Proterra customers during all phases of development, testing, and product launch. This is an exciting team of diverse and dynamic electric vehicle experts playing a key role in ensuring success both for our organization and for customers.

A Proterra Application Engineer often functions as a high-power consultant for our customers, helping them successfully integrate our high voltage battery packs into their vehicles, in addition to acting as the lead technical contact throughout all phases of the project. The Application Engineer provides hands-on support for our OEM customers when they install our products in their vehicles, as a first line of support for installation, issue resolution, and technical troubleshooting. This person often brings key skillsets of design, validation, or integration engineering. This position requires strong technical competencies in electric vehicles as well as outstanding communication and collaboration skills.

About the Role – You will:

• Support customers with all aspects of integration and installation – mechanical aspects including mounting and physical interfaces, electrical aspects both HV and LV, and controls interfaces including messages and diagnostics that pass between Proterra components and OEM controllers.
• Directly manage and train 3rd party distributor integration partners on Proterra’s Application Approval Process
• Act as the primary technical point of contact throughout various project activities, leading technical support, issue resolution, and customer design reviews as required
• Lead analysis of technical requirements at the beginning of project discussions, working closely with Business Development team to accurately scope engineering work
• Utilize and adapt Proterra Battery MATLAB Simulink models for next generation battery platforms
• Create documentation of key architectural aspects with customers to define interfaces between them, Proterra, and possibly other 3rd parties engaged in the project, in various levels of detail depending on where we are at in the project. This includes cross-disciplinary aspects of mechanical, electrical/ HV, and software/ controls aspects
• Identify key customer safety requirements to determine feasibility and impacts to Proterra systems, including crash, Functional Safety, and regulatory requirements
• Engage with other internal Proterra teams early in the project to understand impacts to current Proterra products, modifications needed to support the customer’s applications
• First line of support for troubleshooting controls issues and software issues with customers – digging into root causes and finding issues
• Work closely with customers to diagnosis electrical issues, which could include wiring, pinouts, damages/chafes that could impact overall vehicle performance
• Extensive diagnosis into CAN traces using CANalyzer and other tools. Interact with hands-on with other engineering tools to analyze data for HV systems, including oscilloscopes and other instrumentation
• Work closely with Proterra and customer technicians to make repairs and fixes as needed, also handling repairs autonomously as needs arise.
• Build relationships with technical contacts at customers and 3rd party partners, creating trust and strong collaboration
• Continuously evaluate Proterra processes for improvement and refinement, and propose creative methods to improve efficiency, robustness, and quality
• Help train and provide mentorship to less experienced engineers in the organization

About You:

• Self-starter with the ability to adapt interpersonal styles and techniques to influence at all levels of organizations with clear communication and presentation skills
• Customer-focused attitude, with high level of professionalism and discretion
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality, establish trust and credibility, and act with complete integrity
• Team player who understands and demonstrates by example the importance of working well with others both internal and external to the organization
• Detail-oriented, resourceful and diligent, with strong time management and organizational skills to balance and prioritize tasks/ projects
• Adaptable and able to work in an ambiguous environment both technically and organizationally and create clarity out of those situations
• A constant drive for continuous improvement while having the ability to document and close organizational process gaps

Your Experience Includes:

• BS in an engineering discipline. Automotive, mechanical, electrical or software/ controls focus preferred
• Electric vehicle experience required
• Commercial bus, heavy truck, or automotive vehicle systems development or integration experience preferred
• 7-15 years of progressive engineering experience with application, vehicle design, performance, or systems integration experience

Designed and assembled in the United States, Proterra’s innovative battery platform offers industry-leading energy density, durability, performance and safety systems – enabling Proterra EV batteries to be the premium choice for commercial vehicles and industrial equipment.

Proterra’s battery technology offers industry-leading energy density, safety systems, and durability. Proudly designed in Silicon Valley and assembled in Greer, South Carolina, Proterra® batteries are the premier choice to electrify commercial vehicles ranging from buses and trucks to construction equipment and more. Proterra is building innovative battery technology to power a better, more sustainable world.

Location: Greer, SC

Travel: 10-35%

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. There is no immigration sponsorship available for this role (ex: H1-B, OPT, CPT, TN or any other employment sponsorship).

Proterra is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all Employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law or ordinance. Proterra participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program (E-Verify).