# Nicolas Avlas

> Principal Softball & Baseball Sabermetrics Analyst

Location: San Jose, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/nicolasavlas

Proven Technical leader with 20+ years experience, responsible for all aspects of LiDAR and ESS NPI product development and program execution within OEM Automotive, Tier1 Supplier, Electric Vehicle, and the Defense industries.  Passion for architecting, designing, building, validating, and integrating solutions to complex problems.

At General Motors, I was the technical Lidar lead working on program execution and advanced projects for GM ADAS retail platforms and Cruise AVs.

My goals are to contribute to the success of the business and mentor/grow the resources under my direction, as well as to focus my skills and energy in challenging projects that enable me to fully use my knowledge in Lidar, hardware engineering, ESS/battery management, and embedded controls while giving me the opportunity to increase my skill set.

## Work Experience
### Lidar Quality/Failure Analysis/Validation Test Engineering Lead @ AEye, Inc.
Jan 2025 – Present | Dublin, California, United States

### Founder and Principal Sabermetrics Analyst for Softball & Baseball division @ All Out Softball
Jan 2025 – Present | Los Gatos, California, United States
• Developed an AI-based Softball & Baseball Scouting tool which provides Coaches in game competitive and strategic intelligence (tendencies & insights).
• Analyzed GameChanger App data to identify key tendencies both offensively & defensively.
• Successfully piloted the program with Elite Colleges and Travelball teams, proving its effectiveness in securing wins and competing at high level.

### Energy Storage Technology Lead & BESS Technical Program Manager @ Blue Power Systems, Inc.
Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 | Los Gatos, California, United States
Mitsubishi MEPPI BESS problem resolution with mis-managed Permian Basin BESS site.  Worked with MEPPI team and customers to improve BESS system safety, controls, quality management of Narada high energy battery modules used.  Proposed Impedance testing to diagnose the full system health to make informed decision about continued use of Narada battery modules or scrap/buy new.

### Autonomous LiDAR Technical Specialist @ General Motors
Jan 2018 – Jan 2024 | California
- Individual contributor (remote employee)/Team technical leader responsible for GM Lidar strategy/roadmap including leading Lidar supplier technical reviews, established business case for lidar, and realtime support for Cruise Automation AV and GM ADAS retail platforms.
-Lead Sourcing for Ultracruise 1.0 program and Supplier product development with Cepton including production and testing audits to achieve run at rate before SORP
- Responsible for Supplier benchmarking and GM Lidar testing including performance testing and pointcloud analysis, created worlds only lidar test capability to evaluate range performance within a thermal chamber to GMW3172 validation testing
-Developed LiDAR Robustness Strategy including a baseline Knowledge Set (DFSS, DFM, DFA, DFMEA, DRBFM methods)
- Responsible for Lidar R&D including component based development scouting components to make educated lidar procurements
- GM Lidar team key resource problem solver in optoelectronics, Lidar architecture, system/electrical/software/algorithm based engineering
- Pushed the envelope to upgrade the GM Lidar lab capabilities to be state of the art in validating Lidar supplier claims

### Vice President Engineering @ Velodyne LiDAR, Inc.
Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | San Jose, CA
•Lead the development and evolution of the VLP32C product program through phase gate process (DVT).

•Developed product and technology design changes to improve VLP32C product performance, manufacturing efficiency, and product cost reductions.

•Lead Sustaining engineering product and technology design changes for VLP16, HDL32 legacy product families.

•External customer facing autonomous vehicle lidar technical product support.

### Vice President Product Engineering @ Velodyne LiDAR, Inc.
Jan 2017 – Jan 2017 | Morgan Hill, CA
High Level Responsibilities

•Lead product development of complex LiDAR sensors (VLP16 and VLP32C) for industrial, automotive, mapping, drone, security and a variety of other applications through the phased gate process.

•On time delivery of the product roadmap with specific customer project focus in mind.

•Manage NPI team consisting of 40+ engineers to complete aggressive design milestones and meet ontime customer deliverables.

Specific Responsibilities

•Lead product development teams (engineering, firmware, process integration) on product design, specification development, prototyping, development, maintenance, and enhancements.

•Provided hands-on technology leadership, mentoring and development to product development teams.  

•Lead the development and evolution of VLP32C product through phase gate process (Concept, EVT), including development of internal ERD, PRD, and customer facing specifications.

•Developed internal manufacturing processes (issue tracking pareto, MES/SPC, manufacturing control plans) to screen/analyze data, contain issues/defects, and technically improve early product development issues.  

•Responsible for implementing design changes in firmware, hardware, and process to improve VLP32C image quality.  

•Key contributor to Velodyne end of line testing process development, implementation, and capability to achieve product specifications.

•Managed and analyzed the commercial feasibility of all new product initiatives.  Incorporated voice of the customer and market knowledge to anticipate product requirements and stay ahead of competition.

•Managed VLP16 & VLP32C reliability / validation team through internal and customer testing plans to improve product quality. 

•Worked closely across the organization with R&D, Sales, Product management, Quality, Sustaining Engineering, and Production/Operations.

### Director of Energy Storage Systems & Electrical Engineering @ KLD Energy Technologies
Jan 2012 – Jan 2016 | Morgan Hill, CA
•Contributed to business and technical roadmap, areas of growth, product, and customer.

•Responsible for the design and technology product development of vehicle propulsion energy storage system (ESS) leading to production subsystem. Invention, battery characterization, evaluation, safety, certification, and acceptance testing leading to plan of record (POR) products fielded into 5+ production vehicles.

  oManaged three battery suppliers including Samsung SDI, Panasonic/Sanyo, LG Chem; 
  oChief Engineer for ESS architecture, BMS and Vehicle Management Unit (VCU) software
  oManaged ESS project schedule and future developmental roadmap
  oResponsible for Cost reducing KLD Energy 3.1kWh ESS by 50% (metric $/Wh)
  oManaged Battery Production, including inventory, process and quality controls, and test
  oResponsible for development of production EOL test system including automated battery 
    scripting AV MT30 power processing equipment

•Lead Software development manager of multi-processor Vehicle Management System with 
 real time operation and heavy emphasis on vehicle safety (ISO 26262).

•Lead Software Development Manager in areas of BMS, Speedometer, Motor Controller; Battery 
 Charger including configuration management, maintenance/upkeep using Agile process.

  oManaged Sri Lanka based software development firm.

•Electrical & Systems Engineering Lead including architecture development across KLD vehicular 
 technology programs and new project insertion; includes POR and cost reduction.

•Developed battery management system and vehicle controller PCBs with heavy emphasis on 
 controls and power management.  Developed interface with battery charger power stage to 
 maximize charging efficiency.

•Provided electrical engineering support to KLD R&D motor testing

•Developed KLD Motor & ESS models in Matlab/Simulink; worked with Ricardo, Inc. to create model, perform regression and validation tests (optimize the KLD value proposition (efficiency, HP/lb, cost))

### Staff Electrical Engineer – Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Traction Drive System Engineer @ BAE Systems
Jan 2012 – Jan 2012
•Responsible for US ARMY GCV program Traction Drive System & Controller cable design, part procurement, integration, and testing aspects of prototype build.

•Managed internal and external customer relationships across multiple BAE Systems sites by ensuring their involvement in major program decisions and awareness of program status and plans

### Electrical Power Management (EPM) Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead @ BAE Systems
Jan 2010 – Jan 2012
•Managed US ARMY and Marine Corps programs, responsible for the electrical power architecture development, manufacturing, integration, and test aspects of prototype amphibious and command-ready ground combat vehicles 70kW vehicle electrical power architecture (Bradley Command Post, and Amphibious Assault Vehicle).

•Executed program management activities including cost and schedule management, status reporting, and issue tracking and resolution

•Coordinated activities of engineering, manufacturing, procurements, contracts, quality, configuration management, and planning and control to meet program requirements

•Managed internal and external customer relationships by ensuring their involvement in major program decisions and awareness of program status and plans

•Implemented innovative concepts to streamline processes such as drawing releases, parts management, and integration methods

•Ensured company processes, procedures, and quality requirements are followed

•Provided program oversight to complete aggressively-scheduled preliminary design and critical design reviews and associated customer deliveries

•Executed top-down, systems engineering-based processes to ensure designs maximize requirements compliance, meet technical performance measures, and are horizontally integrated across all engineering functions

•Supported risk and opportunity management activities including risk identification and mitigation plan development and implementation

### Electrical Engineer – Member of Technical Staff (MTS) @ BAE Systems
Jan 2009 – Jan 2011
•Performed project engineering and management support to the Paladin-PIM Ballistic Hull and Turret (BH&T) program, in the T1&T2 Armor Integration areas.  Nic was responsible for defining resource loading of designer and drafter resources (over 100), schedule and task management of mechanical drawing artifacts (over 1000), and project management status updates including percent complete per drawing and per armor project (T1 & T2).

•Technical Lead for Bradley Command Post IR&D program (result of divestiture from M113/577 fleet) incorporating a C4ISR suite of electronics and software packages including the design and development of the power distribution architecture for Smart displays, Command and control network communications equipment (WIN-T, JTRS, SINCGARS), and Video distribution using a militarized large flat panel display.

•Performed key electrical engineering support to the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program through design phase, integration and testing of the power distribution architecture, C4ISR electronics, and user functionality which were demonstrated to the US ARMY customer during three demonstrations at the BAE Santa Clara facility.

•Performed integration support in System Integration Laboratory (SIL) and at production sites for 10 vehicles delivered to the US ARMY & Australian customers in the area of hardware installations, electrical testing and vehicle level diagnostics/troubleshooting.

•Key contributor on the JLTV EMD program with C4ISR requirements review, lessons learned from the TD phase, and EMD planning and costing to support IBR reviews

•Technical expert for JLTV program Government testing of the onboard Automative Fire Extinguishing System (AFES).

### Electrical Engineer – Member of Technical Staff (MTS) @ BAE Systems
Jan 2007 – Jan 2009
•Lead Technical Engineer for the development of the FCS MGV Increment 0 ground vehicle fleet, integrated and tested at BAE Systems in Santa Clara.

•Responsible for managing the parallel integration activities of five military prototype hybrid vehicles. 

•Managed several sub-teams made up of electrical, software, and mechanical engineers that were successful in meeting budget and schedule through several phases of integration testing. 

•Instrumental in troubleshooting the HV (600V) electrical architecture, CAN bus communication, cooling system design, creating custom off board power demand/support circuits, and manually testing the SW and HW through test stages so that the vehicle could be road tested at the GSD track and Camp Roberts ARMY base.

•Responsible for overseeing GSD HV safety practices are practiced and observed during all aspects of testing and integration projects.

### Senior Electrical Engineer @ BAE Systems
Jan 2005 – Jan 2007
•Technical lead for all Energy Storage System (ESS) testing in the Power and Energy Systems Integration Laboratory (P&ESIL). 
- Responsibilities included leading the coordination, development, and conduction of experimental energy storage lab testing of present and future FCS MGV ESS technologies.

•Lead Engineer responsible for the development of the Future Combat Systems (FCS) ESS Brassboard Battery test implementation and test setup; which included designing the peripheral test articles (data acquisition, power and thermal management, test enclosures, and test space within PESIL) to efficiently test six SAFT VL12V battery modules, one brassboard DC-DC Converter including a C3 Controller.

•Technical lead for the Component Maturation Program (CMP) Vapor Compression Cooled (VCC) Energy Storage System (ESS) 
- Primary responsibility was to develop and deliver a CMP VCC ESS system to improve the baseline Increment 0 ESS and support FCS Increment 1 needs.  Responsibilities included planning, scheduling, management of cell development and module designs, execute RFP’s, deliver products, testing, and produce final reports.

•Represented BAE Systems as lead technical engineer in support of the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Live Fire Testing of FCS candidate electrochemical energy storage, including Lithium-Ion, and Nickel-Metal Hydride in various form factors.  Nic participated in the development of the live fire test plan, data acquisition system development, and directed methods to ensure adequate safety measures were used during testing.

•Presented a paper entitled “Advanced Energy Storage System Cooling Methods for Military Hybrid Electric Vehicles with emphasis on Lead Acid Batteries” in Athens, Greece at the 10th European Lead-Acid Battery Conference (ELBC).
 
•Lead battery expert in the review of BAE Systems L&A ‘Patent Disclosure Letter for Battery Management System and Control Method for Hybrid Electric Vehicles’.

### Associate Mechanical Engineering Professor @ San Jose State University
Jan 2008 – Jan 2008
Associate Professor within the Mechanical Engineering department whereby acted as the primary instructor for the ME-192 Robotics and Manufacturing Systems course in the Fall 2008.

### Energy Storage System Design Electrical Engineer @ United Defense
Jan 2001 – Jan 2005
•Responsible for the design, development, and performance testing of a High Power based Liquid-Cooled Lithium-Ion Battery Module suitable for military field use.  

•Lead Engineer responsible for the FCS CTD Energy Storage Testing of three (plus) leading candidate Nickel-Metal Hydride and Lithium-Ion Battery Modules suitable for use within the SDD Block Zero Future Combat System vehicles.

•Responsible for full-scale characterization testing of battery candidates including developing the capability to test air-cooled battery modules using advanced liquid cooling techniques that could be applied to the future of Nickel-Metal Hydride and Lithium-Ion battery modules, as well as validate the performance of these cells under a strict regime of tests, including Capacity, Peak Power, Constant Power, Self Discharge, and Mission Profile testing.

•Lead Engineer responsible for FCS SDD Energy Storage Baseline Performance, Thermal Symmetry, Mission Profile, and Life Cycle testing of Quallion Small Format 26700 Lithium-Ion power cells; as well as the design and development of a (12S-10P) Grid-connected 30Ah equivalent module.  This 30Ah module was tested under a strict regime of tests, which included Capacity, Peak Power, Constant Power, Self Discharge, and Mission Profile testing.

•Responsible for designing, procuring, integrating, and testing the NLOS-C High-Power Lithium-Ion battery system, as well as solving detailed design problems related to the integration of this system within the vehicle.  Provided support to the NLOS-C program as the Lead Electrical Engineer for the Battery System Design.  Responsibilities included research, design, development, cost planning, documentation, test, and support for the installation of electrical/electronic embedded and test hardware for military systems.

•Responsible for designing the CAVIHS or Pegasus vehicle Lead Acid battery, as well as solving detailed design problems related to the integration of this complex system.

### Design Verification Engineer / Consultant @ NuCORE Technology
Jan 2001 – Jan 2001
•Responsible for leading a small startup engineering team to perform block level verification of logic design algorithms on current and next generation CCD based image processing chipsets.

•Performed model integration, and environmental/architectural verification to provide complete solutions to our customers in the areas of digital cameras, digital video cameras, internet enabled cameras, CCTV, machine-vision devices and other imaging applications.

### Advanced Process Development Engineer @ Texas Instruments
Jan 2000 – Jan 2001
•Responsibilities included executing defined experiments to characterize CMOS device lots as a function of process variables.
-Created characterization test programs over the full IV range, temp range, and wafer map.

### Photolithiography Process Engineering Intern @ Texas Instruments
Jan 2000 – Jan 2000
•Responsibilities included developing test processes for fabrication based handling machinery, defining handling equipment requirements, review of techniques/methods used in the manufacturing and evolution of silicon based 6-inch wafers. 

•Responsible for data collection and evaluation of realtime test data to determine appropriate limits and control methodologies using Statistical Process Control (SPC).


## Education
### Masters of Science in Embedded Systems Engineering
San José State University

### Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering
University of California, Santa Cruz

### Bachelors of Arts in Business Management Economics
University of California, Santa Cruz


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nicolas-avlas-8a7105b

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Source: https://flows.cv/nicolasavlas
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/nicolasavlas/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-05