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Pratik Mahamuni

Pratik Mahamuni

Professional Experience
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Senior Simulation Software Engineer - System Test Design
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Lucid Motors

June 2025 to Present

  • Led the development of an in-house software-in-the-loop (SIL) tool for controls verification
    • Coalesced multiple ECU software for effective open loop testing;
    • Configured plant model binaries for effective close loop testing
    • Developed feature to select different combinations of plant and ECUs for verification
    • Pioneered Linux compatibility by modifying platform specific code C and Python code using available directives
    • Developed and maintained CI pipelines with GitLab for integration testing
  • Inculcated best coding practices by using effective documentation to assist in code maintenance as the team grows

Manager / Staff Engineer - Controls Modeling and Analysis
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Nikola Corporation

July 2024 to May 2025

  • Led a team of engineers for model/algorithm development, analysis and testing for controls validation using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems, improving software and controls robustness of in-house electronic control units (ECUs)
  • Mentored junior engineers and interns through effective model and code reviews for improving test coverage across all in-house ECUs, and for creating a common process and structure to author new tests/models
  • Directed the development of a testing framework to automate test execution and log analysis to reduce controls verification/validation time from 4 days to under 20 hours, freeing up resources for new test development
  • Built and maintained various libraries as key pieces to the automated testing framework, using free and open-source software (FOSS) thus ensuring longevity in systems/processes even during financial constraints
  • Achieved savings of $80,000+ by using existing HIL infrastructure to test two platforms (BEV and FCEV), thus leveraging available resources and business foresight for a financially frail company
  • Reduced expensive use of trucks for new controls logic development by promoting HIL as a fully capable alternative by engaging in numerous discussions with controls engineers, and senior leadership to communicate benefits
  • Communicated comprehensively about engineering processes, tests, hardware used for tests, test results, and issues through varied channels depending on stakeholders: technical documentation, DVP&Rs, JAMA, JIRA, Confluence

Lead Controls Modeling and Analysis Engineer
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Nikola Corporation

April 2023 to July 2024

  • Developed model-in-the-loop (MIL) infrastructure for the vehicle control module (VCM) by creating physics-based first principles component and system models like vehicle dynamics, powertrain components (motors, inverters, gearbox), battery, driver, other ECU logic, and communication interfaces (CAN, LIN, GPIO)
  • Validated controls logic pathways like torque monitoring, conventional cruise control, battery and VCM interaction using only MIL simulations, thus eliminating all hardware to test critical control logic
  • Convinced the team to jettison the old clunky testing framework with long build times to a function-based framework with various advantages for improving test coverage on the VCM 10-fold after a battery fire safety recall
  • Extended battery and VCM interaction, i.e. high voltage (HV) validation to comply with ISO26262 (ASIL A and B) requirements by ingeniously simulating fault injection, loss of battery communication, emulating faulty sensors, etc.
  • Deployed a file conversion dashboard for companywide use to convert BLF files to MAT using FOSS reducing reliance on expensive software that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars to acquire
  • Trained and convinced the team to effectively use git bash (a Windows git utility) who were otherwise using a GUI based solution; learned how hard it is to convince a group of people to change even if it is for a superior tool

Senior Systems Synthesis Engineer
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Canoo Technologies (website no longer active)

December 2021 to March 2023

  • Developed physics-based first principles component and system models for computing and optimizing electric range including vehicle dynamics, powertrain components (motors, inverters, gearbox), battery systems, controls logic, etc.
  • Specified vehicle field testing requirements (on dynamometer, on a track for coastdown testing or in environmental chambers for hot/cold testing) for validating and correlating system models to ensure accuracy in model predictions
  • Used correlated models to run design of experiment (DOE) studies by changing a range of parameters over varied reasonable values for further optimizing electric range, performance and reliability of vehicles
  • Articulated and communicated tradeoffs to varied stakeholders regarding usage of certain components, technologies or control strategies in optimizing electric range and performance
  • Democratized simulation tooling for companywide use to reduce resource constraints on the team juggling various simulation requests; ensured that simulations are quick and have a GUI for non-technical users to interact with
  • Built extract, transform and load (ETL) systems to process large amounts of vehicle log data from varied tests using varied data loggers, simplifying data processing and obtaining insights from data

Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) Optimization and Analysis Lead
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Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)

January 2016 to December 2021

  • Led a global team to develop simulation and statistical analysis models to optimize system performance and range for future BEV programs
  • Collaborated with the larger organization to obtain component maps and attribute information/data for improving model accuracy building trust in targets that are set within the organization
  • Benchmarked competitive vehicles to understand the advanced technologies that enable electric range advancement and/or performance improvements; conducted tradeoff studies with these technologies for future vehicles
  • Aligned simulation models and post-processing techniques to changing emission regulations of the US, European Union and China, designing powertrain systems and vehicles to be compliant with future (stricter) regulations
  • Identified risks to targets as prototype vehicles get tested for communicating mitigations, changes, and overhauls to current strategy using data-driven statistical analysis
  • Created a diagnostic, data processing and visualization GUI to consume simulation and test data for outputting key performance metrics after multiple calculations

Volunteer Experience
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Lead Developer
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Celf-IP

June 2023 to Present

  • Created analytical models using REST APIs to match marketed products on Amazon with their patents by optimizing database tables to deliver results in under 60 seconds with 95% accuracy
  • Established numerous ETL pipelines with varied input files (XML, JSON, CSV) to mine all the data as a SQL database including 150+ million global patents
  • Developed ancillary services for sister company Innocelf using Celf’s data including automating reports, providing streamlined searching capabilities and deploying language models for long-text summarization

Lead Developer
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Innocelf LLC

February 2021 to Present

  • Developed and maintained a website including client landing pages that can be browsed to know more about the company, and a dashboard (accessible to only administrators) for managing projects, tracking revenue and automating reports
  • Distilled key performance metrics, important client information into easy-to-understand plots and forms in an internal dashboard for administrators

Software Engineer (ML-Ops)
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Virufy

February 2022 to June 2022

  • Trained, built and deployed machine learning models for detecting COVID-19 with audio inputs (cough sounds)
  • Wrote and automated unit tests for API functions to achieve 85% coverage to help launch a robust product to individuals who did not have the means to traditional testing facilities

Skills
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  • Programming and Modeling: Python, MATLAB/Simulink, C++, BASH, Vanilla JavaScript, CSS
  • Python Libraries (non-exhaustive): NumPy, Pandas, cantools, asyncpg, Scikit-Learn, PyQT5, Tkinter, Pybind11, Django, FastAPI, Tensorflow
  • Databases: Postgres SQL, SQLite
  • Cloud: Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Linode (now Akamai)
  • Network Protocols: CAN and LIN
  • Miscellaneous: Vector CANalyzer, Vector CANape, JAMA, JIRA, Confluence
  • Concepts:
    • Experienced: Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), model-in-the-loop (MIL); Familiar: software-in-the-loop (SIL)
    • Motor mechanics and modeling, battery mechanics and modeling (RC models for internal resistance, battery management systems), gearbox mechanics and modeling, map-based inverter and internal combustion engine modeling, fuel cell and DC-DC converter modeling (map based and physics based)
    • Vehicle dynamics through individual components, i.e., weight, aerodynamics and tires, and with simpler F0, F1, F2 coefficients
    • Freshman physics as it relates to vehicle components: power, energy, force, speed, rotational speed, inertia, voltage, current, resistance, capacitance, inductance, free body diagrams
    • Web application development, design patterns (REST API, CRUD), Linux/UNIX administration, version control (Git), testing (unit, component, integration)

Education
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Master of Business Administration (Finance)
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Oakland University

2016 to 2019

Master of Science (Mechanical Engineering)
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Michigan Technological University

2012 to 2014

Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
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University of Pune

2008 to 2012