Battery Manufacturing Engineer

Lincoln Motor Company; Dearborn (MI); On-site; USD 68,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Family care days

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering professional to optimize highly automated manufacturing equipment and processes in our battery and automotive plants. You will lead commissioning, drive qualification, and implement ramp-up plans to meet throughput, yield, and quality targets.

The role requires strong cross-functional collaboration, data-driven decision making, and willingness to travel for plant launches and operations across sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field.
• Experience with automotive manufacturing preferred.
• Strong problem-solving and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise to optimize highly automated manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Act as a liaison to integrate battery manufacturing equipment systems across engineering, operations, and support functions.
• Champion Interim and Permanent Corrective Actions during installation and commissioning to resolve issues and prevent recurrence.
• Review PM plan performance using machine data and drive improvement and constraint reduction.

Skills

Manufacturing Engineering

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Project Management

Leadership

Data-driven problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical field

Tools

AutoCAD

Planner

Job description

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

What You'll Do

Process Optimization & Systems Management

• Provide technical expertise to optimize highly automated manufacturing equipment and processes through systemic, data-driven solutions, advanced automation, and enhanced process control.
• Act as a liaison between organizations to seamlessly integrate battery manufacturing equipment systems into process areas, ensuring alignment across engineering, operations, and support functions.
• Champion Interim Corrective Actions (ICAs) and Permanent Corrective Actions (PCAs) throughout installation, commissioning, and qualification activities to resolve issues and prevent recurrence.
• Review PM plan performance and effectiveness using machine data, driving improvement and constraint reduction of process equipment in alignment with Ford Motor Company Operating Systems.

Program & Product Launch Management

• Lead installation, commissioning, start-up, and launch activities at the manufacturing plant.
• Support feasibility studies on equipment design changes and lead modifications, vet designs against site and process capabilities, and usher implementation of corrective actions through project milestones.
• Own commissioning execution, including dry runs, safety validation, and final acceptance testing.
• Drive equipment qualification processes, ensuring capability, throughput, yield, and quality targets are achieved before production release.
• Lead production ramp-up planning and execution, establishing structured ramp methodologies to achieve rate, yield, and OEE targets.
• Lead identification, resolution, and closure of all feasibility, quality, packaging, tooling, safety, ergonomics, controls, purchasing, cost, and other issues throughout the life of the program.

Continuous Improvement & Equipment Life Cycle

• Oversee equipment re-tooling, upgrades, and optimization initiatives to support product changes, capacity increases, or performance improvements.
• Establish documentation standards, change management processes, and capture "Lessons Learned" to implement continuous improvement actions on future and scalable manufacturing programs.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Leadership

• Act as a bridge between departments to ensure optimal equipment performance, coordinating cross-functional readiness across engineering, operations, maintenance, quality, facilities, and EHS to ensure seamless start-of-production.
• Manage equipment vendors and installation contractors through installation, commissioning, and post-launch stabilization.
• Track and manage key ramp KPIs—including throughput, yield, scrap, uptime, cycle time, and MTBF/MTTR—using electronic tools and complex algorithms to improve department KPI performance.
• Identify technical risks early and implement mitigation plans to protect launch timing and performance targets.
• Provide regular program updates on schedule, budget, risks, and ramp performance to senior leadership.

Standards & Safety

• Ensure adherence to the Ford Production System (FPS) and Safety Operating System practices to achieve zero injuries and assist in the development and achievement of department KPIs.

You’ll have...

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical field.
• 3-10+ years of relevant professional experience in a manufacturing environment (automotive or battery cell manufacturing preferred).
• Ability to work varied shifts and hours, including weekends, and travel extensively (90–100%), including internationally, to support plant launches and operations. Must be flexible and willing to work at different sites for periods ranging from several weeks to several months.

Even better, you may have...

• 5+ years of relevant Manufacturing Engineering experience.
• Master’s degree in engineering.
• Industry 4.0 Knowledge: Familiarity with Data Collection, AI/ML, IIOT, and Digital Twins.
• Leadership: Ability to demonstrate leadership behaviors combined with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.
• Process Expertise: Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and FMEAs.
• Software Skills: Office, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Planner.
• Technical Knowledge: Fundamental working knowledge of industrial process, PM planning, and machine safety standards.
• Vision Systems: Experience with 2D & 3D vision systems for robot guidance, metrology, and identification.

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• 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.

This position is a range of salary grades 5-8 and ranges from $68,300-$192,900.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

Internal applicants: moving into this role may result in an adjustment to your current compensation based on the posted pay range for this role, taking into consideration your qualifications and other relevant factors.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.