Process Engineer, Ford Energy

Ford Motor • Glendale, KY

5d • Onsite

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. Why Ford Energy? 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... As a Process Engineer, you will play a critical role in launching and scaling operations at our Glendale Junction facility. This is a high-impact, startup role within a legacy manufacturing powerhouse. You will: Lead with Purpose: Apply engineering principles and analytical techniques to establish, optimize, and continuously improve high-volume battery storage manufacturing and assembly processes. Innovate: Use your entrepreneurial mindset to drive production throughput, line balancing, and labor efficiency for a massive Greenfield manufacturing site. Empower Others: Create a culture of lean manufacturing excellence, fostering an environment where standardized work and data-driven production solutions thrive

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or a related engineering field)
• 3-5+ years of progressive experience in Industrial Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering within a high-volume production environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in Greenfield site development or high-volume automotive, battery, or electronics manufacturing.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt).
• Experience with 8D, 5-Why analysis, DMAIC/DMADV methodologies, and lean tools (5S, Kanban, Poka-Yoke, Value Stream Mapping).
• Familiarity with engineering change and release systems (e.g., WERS, CORA, or similar).
• Strong communication, collaboration, and team-building skills.
• Passion for energy systems and U.S. energy independence.
• Advanced proficiency in AutoCAD, MODAPTS, and manufacturing simulation tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of the Ford Energy Production System (FEPS), with a focus on standardized work, line balancing, and optimized workstation layouts.
• Develop labor standards and manpower plans for cell, module, and pack assembly to maximize utilization and efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement in safety, quality, and productivity across all production lines.
• Analyze production constraints and perform equipment cycle time studies to optimize throughput, Jobs Per Hour (JPH), and First Time Through (FTT) quality.
• Design and refine station layouts using CAD, incorporating tooling, material presentation, and error-proofing (Poka-Yoke) for zero-defect manufacturing.
• Conduct ergonomic job evaluations and implement workstation designs that meet high safety standards in automated, high-speed production environments.
• Manage procurement, commissioning, capability validation, and debugging of new production equipment, including vendor site buy-offs.
• Collaborate with Product Design, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to develop optimal process strategies, including gauging, torque strategies, and in-process testing.
• Embrace the Gemba philosophy: Regularly engage on the production floor to identify bottlenecks, verify standardized work adherence, and solve problems in real time.
• Develop "Leaders as Teachers": Mentor Production and Operations teams on lean principles, including takt time vs. cycle time and waste elimination.
• Remove Barriers: Proactively mitigate risks in the launch phase to ensure seamless equipment buy-offs and successful Start-Of-Production(SOP).
• Proactive Problem-Solver: Catalyst who identifies gaps and proposes solutions before they become issues.
• Champion Transparency: Partner cross-functionally with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Operations to achieve Ford Energy’s Vision, Mission, and Values.
• Establish and track Production Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), scrap rates, and FTT quality.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives in quality to achieve "No Faults Forward" and zero defects on the production line.
• Coordinate quality containment actions, dock holds, and special checks to eliminate any impact on the customer, maintaining detailed traceability records.
• Manage quality documentation, including FTT, 8Ds, Scrap, and Dock Audits.
• Lead 8D root-cause resolution for warranty and battery operations concerns in collaboration with Quality, MP&L, and Assembly teams.
• Manage and direct statistical process control (SPC) activities, execute measurement systems analysis (MSA), and variable data analysis to drive process capability (Control Plans).
• Review rejected parts for quality integrity, determine corrective actions, and issue daily quality reports.
• Manage the Engineering Change Management (ECM) process for the production floor, ensuring all process modifications are documented, and process sheets/instructions are updated accurately.

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: Entry Level