Battery Program Leader

Ford • Dearborn, MI

1d • $112,680 - $212,760 • Onsite

About The Position

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in equipment installation, commissioning, qualification, and production ramp up within battery, automotive, or other high-volume manufacturing environments. This leader will ensure equipment readiness, process capability, and operational stability while meeting safety, quality, cost, and schedule targets.
We are seeking a results-driven Manufacturing Program Supervisor to lead the installation, commissioning, qualification, production ramp-up of battery cell manufacturing equipment at Marshall, MI. This role is highly execution-focused and will own the full lifecycle of manufacturing equipment deployment - from tooling installation through stable, high-volume production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Chemical, or related field); advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, equipment launch, or industrialization in high-volume production environments.
• Proven experience leading equipment installation, commissioning, and qualification for complex automated manufacturing lines.
• Strong understanding of equipment acceptance processes including FAT, SAT, IQ/OQ/PQ, and production validation methodologies.
• Demonstrated success driving structured production ramp-up and achieving performance stabilization.
• Experience managing equipment re-tooling, line modifications, and capacity expansion projects.
• Strong working knowledge of automation systems, process control, and industrial safety standards.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and external vendors in high-pressure launch environments.
• Strong project management skills with experience managing capital budgets and timelines.
• Willingness to travel as required to support suppliers and on-site launch activities.

Nice To Haves

• Prefer direct experience in battery cell manufacturing equipment and process scale-up.

Responsibilities

• Lead all site activities related to equipment installation, commissioning, qualification and handover to operation team.
• Own commissioning execution, including dry runs, safety validation, and final acceptance testing.
• Drive equipment qualification processes, ensuring capability, throughput, yield, and quality targets are achieved before production release.
• Lead production ramp-up planning and execution, establishing structured ramp methodologies to achieve rate, yield, and OEE targets.
• Oversee equipment re-tooling, upgrades, and optimization initiatives to support product changes, capacity increases, or performance improvements.
• Coordinate cross-functional readiness across engineering, operations, maintenance, quality, facilities, and EHS to ensure seamless start-of-production.
• Manage equipment vendors and installation contractors through installation, commissioning, and post-launch stabilization.
• Track and manage key ramp KPIs including throughput, yield, scrap, uptime, cycle time, and MTBF/MTTR.
• Identify technical risks early and implement mitigation plans to protect launch timing and performance targets.
• Establish documentation standards, change management processes, and lessons learned to support future scalable manufacturing programs.
• Provide regular program updates on schedule, budget, risks, and ramp performance to senior leadership.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level