Manager, BESS Platform Engineering, Ford Energy

Ford Motor•Dearborn, MI

1d•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. The Manager, BESS Platform Engineering, will be accountable for the systems engineering leadership and execution of Ford Energy’s BESS platform. Reporting to the Chief Engineer, you will lead a multi-disciplinary team responsible for requirements definition, architecture development, and industrialization readiness. This is a critical leadership role that combines deep technical expertise with operational discipline to ensure our BESS products are technically sound, safety-compliant, and ready for large-scale deployment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, or related Engineering field.
10+ years of experience in battery systems, energy storage, or complex hardware development.
5+ years of leadership experience managing engineering teams or technical organizations.
Strong background in systems engineering, requirements management, and technical program execution.
Proven experience leading design, validation, and release activities for complex systems.
Strong understanding of high-voltage systems, thermal management, and product validation.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or PhD degree in a relevant technical field.
Direct experience with stationary BESS and UL certification programs (UL 9540/9540A).
Experience in thermal, safety, or mechanical CAE (FEA/CFD-based analysis).
Experience with supplier development, product industrialization, and launch readiness.
Background in automotive high-voltage systems or electrified vehicle platforms.

Responsibilities

Manage, coach, and develop the BESS platform engineering team, ensuring clear technical direction, accountability, and professional growth.
Establish engineering processes, design reviews, and verification gates to improve speed, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
Lead escalation management for technical and systems integration issues, coordinating rapid response across internal and external partners.
Maintain visibility into engineering risks and develop robust mitigation plans with clear ownership.
Own the technical definition of the BESS platform architecture, including requirements flowdown, interface management, and configuration control.
Establish and reinforce systems engineering rigor across all in-house engineering activities (requirements, verification, validation).
Drive systems integration and verification planning across battery, thermal, controls, power electronics, and enclosure interfaces.
Coordinate closely with the Certification Lead to ensure engineering evidence and design intent support UL and regulatory objectives.
Lead the design, development, and release of BESS platform components and subsystems, ensuring rigorous technical review.
Guide and review thermal, safety, and mechanical engineering activities, including CAE analysis (FEA/CFD), design trade studies, and risk reduction.
Drive technical alignment with key suppliers to ensure design intent, quality, and interface compatibility are met.
Lead interactions with external test houses and Independent Engineering firms to ensure credible technical substantiation.
Partner closely with Technical Solutions, Sales, and PMO to ensure customer requirements are translated into executable engineering deliverables.
Ensure technical scope, schedule, and certification dependencies are aligned with project requirements and customer commitments.
Interface directly with internal and external executive-level stakeholders to communicate technical positions, risks, and tradeoffs.