Manager, Battery Management Systems, Ford Energy

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford Energy is a newly formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company dedicated to accelerating U.S. energy independence. Leveraging Ford’s century of manufacturing excellence and world-class battery energy storage systems (BESS) technology, Ford Energy designs, manufactures, and services grid-scale and commercial DC battery energy storage systems (BESS). Ford Energy is uniquely positioned to capture the growing demand for reliable, US-built energy storage systems. We are not just building batteries; we are building the infrastructure for the next generation of the American grid. At Ford Energy, you have the backing of an industrial manufacturing powerhouse with the agility of a dedicated energy startup offering industry leading technology. We offer a competitive compensation package including performance-based bonuses, Ford vehicle discounts, and the opportunity to shape the energy strategy of one of the world's most iconic brands. In this position, the Manager, BMS leads all aspects of BMS technology development and program delivery for Ford Energy's BESS products — from architecture and roadmap through validation, industrialization, launch, and field support — ensuring the BMS is delivered on time, with quality, and at or below cost. This role leads the BMS department through subordinate engineering leads/supervisors across key sub-disciplines (e.g., BMS Hardware, Embedded Software & Platform, and Controls/Diagnostics), and is accountable for the department's operational business plan, headcount, and resource/budget allocation across these multi-disciplinary teams. This is a highly cross-functional role that draws heavily on Ford's deep bench of automotive BMS technology, engineering talent, and lessons learned, adapting proven automotive practices (functional safety, cell balancing, state estimation, diagnostics/prognostics, controller hardware/software, and cybersecurity) to stationary energy storage. Success requires strong partnership across Ford Energy Engineering, Ford Auto Engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, supply chain, and external suppliers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree (or 8+ years with a Master's degree) in Electrical, Computer, or Systems Engineering.
• Demonstrated people leadership / direct management experience (leading engineering teams/leads).
• Demonstrated experience leading complex cross-functional programs with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Experience delivering BMS hardware and/or software through the full product development process, including embedded hardware, firmware, and software.
• Strong first-principles knowledge of electrical engineering, control theory, signal processing, and electrochemistry.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programs/projects simultaneously, balancing timing, risk, and stakeholder communication.
• Strong ability to work across departments, organizations, suppliers, and global teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with automotive BMS/BECM programs, translatable to stationary energy storage.
• Familiarity with LFP cell architectures and prismatic/pouch module/pack designs.
• Experience with APQP, PPAP, DV/PV, launch readiness, or similar industrialization processes.
• Experience with ISO 26262 functional safety and cybersecurity standards (e.g., NERC CIP, IEC 62443).
• Background with BMS controller/ASIC suppliers, module/pack suppliers, or battery line integrators.
• Master's or PhD in Engineering or related field.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of BMS hardware, software, and system architecture for Ford Energy — from concept through design release, validation, launch, and production stabilization — on time, with quality, at or below cost.
• Lead BMS hardware design: voltage/current/temperature sensing, isolation monitoring, contactor control, cell balancing, and communication interfaces; own BMS interfaces to plant-level EMS/PCS/SCADA systems.
• Own integrated program timing, scope, risk, issue resolution, and action tracking across internal teams and suppliers; drive program reviews and escalation with the Chief Engineer and leadership.
• Develop and maintain BMS technology roadmaps and cost models; lead design optimization to reduce cost while improving performance and life.
• Lead development of advanced diagnostic and prognostic capability (SOC/SOH estimation, fault detection, degradation and remaining-useful-life prediction) as a core differentiator for customer-facing reliability, uptime, and total cost of ownership.
• Leverage field data analytics, edge/cloud algorithms, and digital-twin approaches to enable predictive maintenance and proactive fleet health management.
• Drive adherence to Ford Energy's cybersecurity strategy: secure architecture, secure communications, secure OTA update processes, and support threat modeling across the BMS hardware/software/network stack.
• Align BMS cybersecurity practices with applicable grid and industrial standards (e.g., NERC CIP, IEC 62443) and Ford Energy cybersecurity requirements; partner with cybersecurity and IT/OT teams on assessments and remediation.
• Serve as primary technical/program interface for BMS across Ford Energy Engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, planning, and supply chain.
• Actively draw upon Ford's automotive BMS resources, talent, tools, and processes, adapting battery control, safety, and diagnostic strategies to stationary storage; build strong ties with Ford Auto Engineering to share learnings across programs.
• Build strong technical relationships with suppliers (BMS controllers, ASICs, software tools) and align with external module/pack/line suppliers on interface requirements and manufacturing readiness.
• Lead competitor benchmarking/teardowns for BMS hardware, software, and control strategies.
• Lead BMS functional safety process (e.g., ISO 26262 and applicable grid-storage safety standards): HARA, safety goals, technical safety requirements, and safety case documentation.
• Lead advanced BMS technology development with suppliers, evaluating emerging sensing, balancing, and controller technologies.
• Lead key engineering documentation: boundary diagrams, interface matrices, DFMEA/Software FMEA, robustness checklists, system/software requirements.
• Support manufacturability assessments; review quality history and apply lessons learned; support root-cause investigations for safety, thermal, diagnostic, and field concerns.
• Initiate robustness activities (Design for Six Sigma, coding-standard compliance, static/dynamic software analysis); support requirements flow-down/validation with module, cell, and pack teams.
• Lead applicable regulatory requirements process for BMS; maintain visibility into timing, cost, risk, and open actions; prepare executive-level updates for the Chief Engineer and leadership.
• Lead the BMS department through subordinate engineering leads/supervisors across key sub-disciplines (e.g., BMS Hardware, Embedded Software & Platform, and Controls/Diagnostics), ensuring clear accountability and coordinated execution across teams.
• Own the department's operational business plan, including headcount planning and resource/budget allocation (materials, testing, tools, licenses, travel) across the multi-disciplinary BMS organization.
• Set department/employee objectives aligned to Ford Energy's goals and roadmap; hold regular 1:1s and recognize performance; lead team meetings and development planning.
• Build team capability in BMS hardware/software, state estimation, functional safety, balancing/thermal strategy, diagnostics/prognostics, cybersecurity, and design optimization.

Benefits

• performance-based bonuses
• Ford vehicle discounts
• 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: Manager