BESS Container Subsystem Design & Release Engineer (TVM)

Ford Energy; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vehicle discount program for employees

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Ford Energy in Dearborn, Michigan, seeks a BESS Container Subsystem Design & Release Engineer to own the technical design and release of container subsystems, including thermal management, fire detection, venting, enclosure, and electrical integration.

The role partners with Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing and DV/PV Testing to ensure release-ready designs and adherence to safety standards; it includes TVM, supplier collaboration, and PPAP milestones.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of experience in design & release engineering or product engineering, ideally within BESS, automotive, or other complex electro-mechanical systems.
• Working knowledge of battery energy storage safety and performance standards (e.g., UL 9540/9540A, NFPA 855/68, IEC 62619) and/or Ford Energy internal design and test specifications.
• Experience developing or supporting DFMEA, DVPR, BOM/BOD, and design release documentation.
• Experience partnering with Purchasing or supply chain teams on sourcing, supplier evaluation, or procurement of engineered components.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with experience working directly with external suppliers or battery partners.
• Proficiency with CAD and PLM tools (e.g., NX, Teamcenter, CATIA, or similar).

Responsibilities

• Container Subsystem Design & Release (Primary Focus) – Own design and release for BESS container subsystems, including thermal management, fire detection/suppression, deflagration venting, structural enclosure, and electrical integration components.
• Develop and maintain system design specifications (SDS), component design specifications (CDS), bills of material (BOMs), and bills of design (BODs) for container-level hardware.
• Lead or support DFMEA, DVPR, and design reviews to ensure subsystem designs meet safety, performance, durability, and manufacturability requirements before release.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective action for design issues identified during testing, build events, or field operation, closing the loop with battery/container supply partners and internal design teams.
• Ensure container subsystem designs comply with applicable standards, including UL 9540, UL 9540A, NFPA 855/68, ISO/CSC transport certification requirements, and Ford Energy internal design specifications.
• Consume and act on DV/PV test results and reports delivered by the DV/PV Testing team, incorporating findings into design updates, engineering changes, and release decisions.
• Total Value Management (TVM) Support – Support TVM activities for container subsystems, balancing function, cost, quality, and timing to identify VE/VA opportunities.
• Procurement & Sourcing Support – Support Purchasing in the procurement and sourcing of container subsystem hardware, providing technical requirements, specifications, and evaluation criteria for supplier and component selection.
• Cross-Functional & Supplier Collaboration – Serve as the primary technical interface between Ford’s internal design team and container/battery supply partners for subsystem design and release.
• Coordinate engineering changes, manage documentation through Ford’s PLM systems, and support supplier technical reviews and design maturity milestones (e.g., DVPR sign-off, PPAP).

Skills

Design & release engineering

Cross-functional collaboration

Systems thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering

Tools

NX

Teamcenter

CATIA

Job description

Ford Energy in Dearborn, Michigan, seeks a BESS Container Subsystem Design & Release Engineer to own the technical design and release of container subsystems, including thermal management, fire detection, venting, enclosure, and electrical integration.

The role partners with Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing and DV/PV Testing to ensure release-ready designs and adherence to safety standards; it includes TVM, supplier collaboration, and PPAP milestones.