Staff Battery Cell Engineer

Ford • Long Beach, CA

3d • $150,200 - $283,500 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford’s Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company’s vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven and is dedicated to delivering industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. You’ll join an agile team of doers pioneering our EV future by working collaboratively, staying focused on only what matters, and delivering excellence day in and day out. Join us to make positive change by helping build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.
In this position...
The Battery Cell Engineer will be responsible for driving the development, evaluation, and supplier-partnered introduction of next generation battery cell technology for our innovative and affordable electric vehicles. This role works hand-in-hand with the global cell supply base to identify, mature, and industrialize breakthrough cell chemistries and formats.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Minimum of 7 years experience in battery cell technology, with hands-on experience evaluating or launching automotive-grade cells.
• Experience directly engaging with cell suppliers or startups on technology evaluation, development, or sourcing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a deep understanding of electrochemistry and battery cell performance characteristics.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external suppliers.
• Knowledge of relevant industry standards, regulations, and safety requirements for electric vehicle batteries.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in relevant software tools for battery modeling, simulation, and data analysis (e.g., MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW).
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Confluence, and Jira applications.
• Experience with instrumentation and measurement in a lab environment.
• Prior experience supporting supplier sourcing, contract negotiation, or supplier agreements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• An eagerness to work cross-functionally in a dynamic environment where you are part of a high performing team.
• A systems approach to design and development with the desire and curiosity to strive for exceptional delivery execution and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Research and evaluate emerging battery cell chemistries and form factors.
• Analyze and compare battery cell characteristics, including energy density, power density, cycle life, fast-charge capability, and safety factors.
• Generate and maintain the next generation cell technology roadmap and strategy, tracking technology readiness level (TRL) and manufacturing readiness level (MRL) of candidate cells.
• Select the most suitable next-gen cell format and chemistry based on performance, cost, and safety requirements.
• Create cell-level requirements in Jama that support vehicle-level attributes and next-gen program targets.
• Build and maintain strong technical relationships with leading cell manufacturers, material suppliers, and emerging startups developing next-gen cell technology.
• Evaluate supplier technology roadmaps, R&D capability, and production maturity levels to inform sourcing and partnership decisions.
• Lead joint development activities with suppliers, including technical reviews, capability audits, and co-development agreements for next-gen cells.
• Partner with Purchasing and Supply Chain teams to support supplier selection, contract negotiations, and sourcing strategy for next-gen cell programs.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for supplier engagement on next-gen cell development, ensuring alignment with Ford's performance, cost, and quality targets.
• Support BMS team with test plans and analysis of test data to support SOx algorithm development (SOC, SOH, SOT, SOP).
• Develop and execute comprehensive testing plans with suppliers to validate performance, safety, and reliability of next-gen cell samples.
• Lead supplier design reviews, engineering sample builds, and engineering change management throughout the NPI process.
• Collaborate with suppliers on DFMEA development and PFMEA document analysis for new cell designs and manufacturing processes.
• Conduct root cause analysis of cell failures such as early life capacity loss, high DCIR growth, and internal short circuits, working jointly with supplier engineering teams.
• Evaluate test fixture design and lab requirements needed to characterize next-gen cell samples.
• Continuously explore cost-reduction opportunities for next-gen battery cells and associated materials in partnership with the supply base.
• Track program milestones, supplier deliverables, and technical risk for next-gen cell development programs.
• Collaborate with the procurement team to ensure a stable, scalable, and cost-effective supply chain for next-gen cell components as programs move toward production.

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: Manager