Principal Systems Engineer (Job #AK-1031)
San Jose, CAFull-time$220–232K/yrPosted 1 day agoStill listed 1 day ago
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Job overview
QuantumScape seeks a Principal Systems Engineer to develop and validate manufacturing equipment and process technology for scale production of solid-state lithium-metal batteries. The role leads pilot-scale cell design and assembly programs, partners with equipment manufacturers and internal R&D teams, and manages machine integrators and technical risks through design validation and manufacturing handoff. The position is based in San Jose, California, and requires 10% international travel.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future. Principal Systems Engineer (Job #AK-1031) SAN JOSE, CA FULL-TIME
Job Description:
- Conceptualize, develop, and validate manufacturing equipment and process technology to enable scale manufacturing of the company’s solid-state lithium-metal batteries.
- Lead pilot-scale cell design and assembly programs.
- Work directly with original equipment manufacturers to specify cell design requirements based on thermal and mechanical simulation.
- Serve as subject matter expert in equipment design, design validation and development of high-speed manufacturing systems.
- Develop a strong partnership with Product Design & R&D teams to drive Design for Manufacturability / Design for Assembly, process control and simplicity considerations to enable high volume and cost.
- Drive Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis and Overall Equipment Efficiency considerations as far upstream in product development as possible.
- Manage external machine integrators from Request for Proposal, Request for Quote through Factory Acceptance Test / Site Acceptance Test and subsequent handoff to manufacturing teams.
- Generate machine system specifications, interfaces, and concept designs.
- Manage technical risks and drive design validation throughout the project lifecycle.
Minimum Requirements:
- Master’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- 6 years of experience working in hardware manufacturing or design engineering.
- Employer will accept a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field and 8 years of progressive experience working in hardware manufacturing or design engineering in lieu of a Master’s degree or equivalent and 6 years of experience.
- Work experience to include: (1) 5 years of experience (or 7 years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree) managing equipment projects to meet deadlines amidst changing requirements and priorities. (2) 5 years of experience with thermal and mechanical simulation, modeling, and experimental validation. (3) 3 years of experience manufacturing scale-up and transferring technologies from research to commercialization.
- Any and all experience may be gained concurrently.
- Position requires 10% international travel; expenses paid by employer.
- 40 hours/week.
- Salary: $220,470 to $232,400 per year.
- Address of employment: QuantumScape Battery, Inc. located at 1710 Automation Parkway, San Jose, CA 95131.
How to Apply Interested candidates can apply electronically from QuantumScape Battery, Inc.’s site. https://careers.quantumscape.com/job-invite/1629/
This position is eligible for employee referrals. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.
How this job compares
Set against the 3,256 open Systems Engineering jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 12, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$220–232K/yr
- California median$156–226K/yr476 salary ranges
- US median$127–204K/yr2,384 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $226K, is 16% above the California median midpoint ($195K) — in the middle half of Systems Engineering salary ranges in California.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 583 open Systems Engineering jobs in California and 3,256 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in California
- Anduril54 open
- Northrop Grumman45 open
- NVIDIA22 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 6 years of experience; Systems Engineering postings that state a minimum ask for 7 years at the median (2,504 postings).
- Education
- 1,071 of the 3,256 open Systems Engineering jobs (33%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 12, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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