Laser Welding Engineer

Ford Motor Company•Dearborn, MI

9d•$86,600 - $166,200•Hybrid

About The Position

Ford is seeking a Laser Welding Engineer to develop, industrialize, and optimize laser joining processes between battery cell cans and busbar/current collector assemblies for next-generation battery manufacturing, including cell-to-pack architectures. The engineer will own processes joining cylindrical or prismatic battery cells to module- and pack-level current collectors, taking them from early concept through pilot line, launch, and high-volume production while balancing weld quality, throughput, cost, and design constraints. The role works closely with cell engineering, pack design, manufacturing, controls and automation, quality, and supplier partners to deliver robust, scalable laser welding solutions for Ford’s global EV programs. Responsibilities encompass process development and characterization; laser equipment, tooling, and automation integration; quality, reliability, and safety; cross-functional technical support; production launch; training and documentation; and continuous improvement. The position is hybrid, with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Welding Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
At least 4 years of hands-on experience in laser welding process development, manufacturing engineering, or equipment engineering in an industrial setting.
Demonstrated experience developing and optimizing welding or joining processes, such as laser, resistance, TIG/MIG, or ultrasonic joining.
Experience with metallurgical evaluation of welds, including microstructure, defects, and joint design considerations.
Experience running structured experiments and analyzing data, including DoE, regression, and statistical analysis.
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility verification is required at hire.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline, or 4+ years of relevant industrial experience.
Experience in battery manufacturing involving cells, modules, or packs, or in high-reliability electrical interconnects.
Direct laser-welding experience with dissimilar metals such as Cu–Al, Al–Ni, or Cu–Ni-plated steel.
Experience laser welding thin foils, tabs, or can terminals where spatter, porosity, and heat-affected-zone control are critical.
Familiarity with fiber laser systems, scanner-based welding, wobble welding, and remote welding.
Familiarity with weld-monitoring technologies and closed-loop process control.
Familiarity with vision-guided robotic welding or precision positioning systems.
Proficiency with CAD tools such as CATIA, NX, or 3DX for joint and fixture reviews.
Proficiency with data analysis tools such as Minitab, JMP, Python, MATLAB, or Excel.
Proficiency with quality tools such as PFMEA, control plans, SPC, 8D, and 5-Why.
Experience working with equipment OEMs and system integrators, including defining URS/FRS, reviewing designs, and overseeing equipment build and commissioning.
Knowledge of relevant standards and guidelines, including ISO/ANSI laser safety, automotive quality systems, and battery safety standards.

Responsibilities

Develop and own laser welding processes joining battery cell terminals to copper or aluminum busbars and current collectors, including tab-less, cell-to-pack, and high-density interconnect architectures.
Define and optimize welding parameters to meet mechanical, electrical, and thermal performance requirements.
Plan and execute structured Design of Experiments to establish process windows, main effects, and sensitivities across cell, busbar, and fixture variants.
Lead process characterization through pull and shear testing, microsection analysis, porosity and crack evaluation, electrical resistance testing, and thermal performance evaluation.
Specify and validate laser systems and subsystems, including fiber lasers, beam delivery optics, scanners, galvos, clamping and fixturing, and motion or robot systems.
Specify and validate vision systems for seam tracking, part localization, and weld-path alignment, as well as inline weld-monitoring technologies.
Define and implement tooling and fixturing concepts to ensure repeatable cell positioning, pressure and contact, alignment, and thermal management.
Collaborate with controls and automation engineers to integrate laser welding equipment into automated assembly lines, including interfaces to PLCs, robots, MES, and quality systems.
Support equipment FAT/SAT, commissioning, and ramp-up at Ford plants and pilot lines.
Develop and maintain PFMEAs, control plans, and standardized work for laser welding operations.
Define critical-to-quality characteristics, inspection methods, acceptance criteria, and inline and offline inspection strategies.
Correlate weld process parameters and defects with pack-level performance, durability, and abuse-test outcomes, and ensure compliance with Ford safety standards and industry best practices for high-power laser systems.
Partner with battery cell and pack design teams on joint design, materials, and stack-ups for manufacturability and weldability.
Work with cell and materials engineers to understand coating stacks and current collector materials and their impact on weld behavior.
Partner with manufacturing and industrial engineering to plan line layouts, takt times, and scaling strategies, and with suppliers and integrators to qualify equipment, tooling, and consumables.
Provide laser welding expertise for design reviews, technical trade studies, and cost and feasibility assessments.
Support problem-solving activities, including 8D, 5-Why, and Ishikawa, for build issues, field returns, and validation test failures linked to weld integrity.
Support pilot builds, pre-production, and launch events at global manufacturing sites.
Develop plant-team documentation and training, including process instructions, troubleshooting guides, maintenance best practices, and safety procedures.
Drive continuous improvement in OEE, cycle time, yield, scrap, and consumable usage.
Benchmark industry best practices and emerging technologies in battery laser welding, monitoring, and automation, and recommend adoption paths for Ford.