Failure Mode Avoidance Engineer, Ford Energy

Ford Energy; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 99,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Paid time off

Holidays

Vehicle discount

Tuition assistance

Employee resource groups

Parental leave

PPE provided

Job summary

Ford Energy in Dearborn, Michigan, is seeking an FMA Engineer to drive the Failure Mode Avoidance program across design, systems, and manufacturing. You will lead DFMEA/PFMEA workshops, coach engineers, and ensure early influence on architecture to mitigate risk before hardware reaches production.

This role requires a Bachelor's in Electrical/Mechanical/Systems Engineering, 5+ years in FMEA methods, MBSE fluency with MagicDraw, and experience with high-voltage battery systems.

Qualifications

• 5+ years hands-on DFMEA/PFMEA experience.
• Six Sigma Green/Black Belt certification preferred.
• Experience with MBSE tools such as MagicDraw.
• FMA methods applied to battery systems or power electronics.
• Familiarity with SCCAF/RRCL frameworks in automotive quality.

Responsibilities

• Lead FMA processes and workshops across cross-functional design, systems, and manufacturing engineering teams.
• Plan, schedule, and facilitate DFMEA and PFMEA workshops across cross-functional teams.
• Ensure FMA activities influence design decisions early in development, not just document risk later.
• Coach and train design/manufacturing engineers on FMA methodology.

Skills

DFMEA/PFMEA

Six Sigma Green/Black Belt

High-voltage battery systems

SCCAF/RRCL familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering

Tools

MagicDraw (MBSE)

APIS IQ-RM

Relyence

PLM/requirements management tools

Job description

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. Learn more at https://fordenergy.com.

In this position...

The FMA (Failure Mode Avoidance) Engineer is the technical engine behind Ford Energy's 'design it right the first time' quality philosophy. This role owns the rigorous, structured processes — DFMEA, PFMEA, Robustness Reliability Cross-Check Lists (RRCL), and Special or Critical Characteristics Agreement Framework (SCCAF) — that identify and eliminate potential failure modes before they reach hardware, while ensuring proper linkage between all documents. The FMA Engineer works at the intersection of systems architecture (using Model-Based Systems Engineering tools like MagicDraw), design engineering, and manufacturing to ensure failure avoidance is embedded from concept through production.

What you'll do

• FMA Process Leadership
• Plan, schedule, and facilitate DFMEA and PFMEA workshops across cross-functional design, systems, and manufacturing engineering teams.
• Ensure FMA activities are timed to influence design decisions (i.e., conducted early enough to shape architecture, not just document risk after the fact).
• Coach and train design/manufacturing engineers on FMA methodology to build organization-wide fluency.

You’ll have

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering.
• 5+ years of hands‑on expertise with DFMEA/PFMEA methodology; Six Sigma Green/Black Belt preferred.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering tools (MagicDraw or similar). Preferred
• Experience applying FMA methodology to high-voltage battery systems or power electronics.
• Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification.
• Familiarity with SCCAF/RRCL frameworks specifically (as used in automotive/Ford quality systems).
• MagicDraw (MBSE)
• DFMEA/PFMEA software (APIS IQ-RM, Relyence, or similar)
• PLM/requirements management integration tools
• Typical Career Path
• Progression toward Senior FMA/Reliability Engineer, FMA Program Lead, or Supervisor, Systems Integration and FMA.
• Physical Demands & Working Conditions
  • This role is primarily performed in an office, laboratory, manufacturing, or supplier environment, depending on program needs.
  • Occasional work in high-voltage or industrial environments may be required, with appropriate training and personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Ability and willingness to travel occasionally to support testing, supplier, manufacturing, or customer activities.
• Location & Travel
  • This position is based in Dearborn, Michigan.
  • Travel may be required to support supplier, manufacturing, laboratory, and customer activities.

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 salary grade 8 and ranges from $99,100-$166,200.

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.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Company: As Ford establishes a wholly owned subsidiary focused on Battery Energy Storage Systems, this role will initially be employed by Ford and is expected to transition to the subsidiary within one year.

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.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.

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