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Master Battery Technician
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UPGRADE ENERGY
Torrance, CA (In Person)
$85,000 Salary, Full-Time
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Job Description
About Upgrade Energy Upgrade Energy is building the next generation of ultra-lightweight, high-energy-density lithium-ion battery systems for demanding aerial and robotic applications. We design, build, and manufacture batteries in-house for customers pushing the limits of performance, reliability, and weight. We are a small, fast-moving company with real customers, real revenue, and hardware shipping today. Our culture values deep technical ownership, speed, and pragmatic engineering over bureaucracy. As the company grows, there is clear opportunity for technical growth, increased responsibility, and leadership for strong performers. Role Overview As a Master Technician at Upgrade Energy, you will own the design, build, test, and iteration of the tooling that our production floor runs on. You will partner closely with our battery engineering team to understand what a process needs, and then you will own the outcome — getting the right fixtures, jigs, nests, and line setups built, proven, and deployed. This is a shop-floor role, not a desk role. You will spend most of your time on the production floor: building tooling, prepping lines for new products, training assemblers, and iterating on fixtures based on what is actually happening in front of you. You will use CAD daily, but as a tool to get things made — not as an end in itself. The ideal candidate is someone who can sketch an idea in the morning, have a prototype on the floor by afternoon, and have a refined version in use by the end of the week. You will work alongside our Production Engineer, Battery Engineers, and assemblers. Engineering owns the process; you own the physical tooling that makes the process work. What You Will Do Design, build, and iterate production tooling including assembly fixtures, welding jigs, alignment nests, test fixtures, and line-side aids Model tooling in CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar) and drive it through machining, 3D printing, or in-house fabrication Partner with battery engineers to understand process requirements and translate them into physical tooling Prep manufacturing lines for new product introductions — setting up stations, staging tooling, and validating that everything works before handoff to production Build, test, and deploy fixtures on the floor, iterating quickly based on assembler feedback and observed failure modes Train assemblers and technicians on correct use of tooling and line setups Maintain, repair, and refurbish existing tooling across the shop Support trial builds, first article runs, and low-volume production ramps Identify opportunities to improve ergonomics, cycle time, and quality through better tooling Keep an organized tooling library with clear documentation and revision control Work closely with the Production Engineer on equipment setup, jig qualification, and process handoffs Required Qualifications Three or more years of hands-on experience in a manufacturing, machine shop, fabrication, or production environment Strong proficiency with CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape, or similar) for designing fixtures and tooling Hands-on fabrication skills — comfortable with hand tools, power tools, basic machining, 3D printing, and shop fabrication Demonstrated experience designing and building production tooling or fixtures Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and basic electrical schematics Strong mechanical intuition and problem-solving skills Ability to train and support assemblers and technicians on the floor Comfortable iterating quickly and making decisions without waiting for formal engineering sign-off on non-critical work Preferred Qualifications Five or more years of hands-on manufacturing or tooling experience Experience in battery, aerospace, drone, EV, or robotics manufacturing Experience designing tooling for laser welding, ultrasonic welding, or automated assembly processes Familiarity with pneumatic and basic electromechanical fixture components Experience with GD&T and tolerance analysis at a working level Exposure to Lean manufacturing principles, 5S, or line balancing Experience operating or setting up CNC mills, lathes, or laser cutters Prior experience training and leading small teams of technicians or assemblers Physical and Work Requirements Ability to lift up to 30 pounds Ability to stand, sit, and work on the production floor for extended periods Ability to distinguish colors and work with fine mechanical details This role is on-site in Torrance, California Why Upgrade Energy Own the physical tooling that makes our entire production operation run Work directly alongside engineering without being buried in the engineering stack Ship tooling to the floor in days, not months — tight iteration loops and no bureaucracy High visibility, high ownership, and direct impact on quality and throughput Clear path to senior technician leadership, tooling ownership, or technical specialist roles as the company scales Competitive compensation based on experience