Senior Powertrain/Battery Management Engineer
About Manna
At Manna, we’re changing how the world receives things — by taking delivery to the skies.
Our mission is simple but ambitious: to make high-speed suburban delivery affordable, green, and safe. We design and build our own aviation-grade drones that deliver food, coffee, groceries, and more directly from local stores and vendors to people’s doors in just a few minutes.
We’re a team that Drive with Impact, are Safety Focused, and knows that the best ideas come from Team Players who show up as their Authentic Selves. We move fast, we are passionate about what we do, and we’re always pushing a growth mindset to be better in everything we do.
If you want to build world-changing technology with real-world impact (and have a bit of fun while doing it), you’ll love it here.
Welcome to Manna — where we deliver the future.
Role Purpose
As a Senior Powertrain / Battery Management Engineer at Manna, you will lead the design, testing, and optimisation of our drone power systems — with a strong focus on battery management, energy modelling, and performance efficiency. Reporting to the Head of Electronics. You’ll play a critical role in transitioning to new battery chemistries and ensuring safe, reliable, and scalable powertrain performance across all operational regions
Key responsibilities of the role- Manage all UAV battery-related activities across multiple geographies and environments (UAE, USA, Finland, Ireland)
- Design and maintain battery ground tests and commissioning systems, ensuring repeatability and safety.
- Conduct energy modelling and simulation (MATLAB/Simulink) to optimize energy use to maximise flight time and range.
- Provide technical leadership in areas of cell balancing & management, thermal management, SOH/lifetime optimisation, powertrain efficiency, and EMI/EMC compliance.
- Support the transition to a new safer, higher energy-density chemistries, including planning and executing comprehensive test campaigns.
- Collaborate with the Electronic Engineering team on development and integration of Battery Management Systems (BMS) across multiple UAV platforms.
- Build battery commissioning and validation processes for production readiness.
- Define best practices for safe charging, discharging, and lifetime management of battery packs.
- Manage and develop strategic partnerships with key vendors to ensure supply chain reliability and technical quality at scale.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Electronic, Mechanical, and Manufacturing teams to enhance powertrain integration.
Requirements
Education:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical, Power, or Mechatronic Engineering (or a related field).
Experience:
- Minimum 7+ years’ experience in battery systems, power electronics, or related energy storage applications.
Battery Expertise:
- Strong knowledge and proven track record in battery chemistry and Battery Management Systems (BMS) — including SOC/SOH monitoring, cell balancing, voltage/current protection, and thermal control.
Technical Proficiency:
- Hands-on experience with Lithium-ion chemistries (NMC, LCO, LiPo).
- Skilled in performing and automating battery test procedures (capacity, energy, SOC/SOH, internal resistance [AC/DC], thermal).
- Proficient in energy modelling and simulation using MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent tools.
Systems Knowledge:
- Familiar with smart charging infrastructure, swappable battery packs, and power distribution systems.
- Experience with thermal management, EMI control, and inrush protection design principles.
- Soft Skills: Strong analytical mindset with excellent problem-solving, data analysis, and cross-functional communication abilities.
Team & Culture:
- Collaborative team player, comfortable in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Additional Requirements:
- Fluent English — written and verbal.
- Full driver’s license.