Manager Digital System – Battery Cell Development Center

General Motors; Warren (MI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors in Warren, MI is seeking a Manager, Digital Systems to lead the digital strategy for the Battery Cell Development Center, building a multidisciplinary team and partnering with IT, operations, and suppliers to enable rapid learning and scalable solutions.

You will drive digital twin, analytics, MES, data architectures, and dashboards, delivering high-impact improvements in automation, process understanding, and manufacturing performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Automation, Manufacturing Engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing automation, controls, digital manufacturing, or related fields.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.
• Experience leading controls integration for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Experience implementing digital technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the digital strategy for Battery Cell Development Center.
• Build and lead a multidisciplinary team across controls, digital infrastructure, data systems, and digital twin capabilities.
• Partner with process development, operations, quality, IT, and suppliers to deliver a connected ecosystem.
• Develop digital twin capabilities and implement simulation tools for process optimization.
• Oversee MES, historians, and traceability platforms integration and data architectures.
• Establish analytics capabilities and dashboards for process development and operations.

Skills

Manufacturing automation

Controls engineering

Digital manufacturing

People leadership

Controls integration

Digital technologies

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (or related)

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Siemens PLC

Rockwell PLC

Beckhoff PLC

SCADA

MES

Historians

Cloud analytics

Job description

Job Description

The Manager, Digital Systems is responsible for implementing and leading the digital strategy for the Battery Cell Development Center. This role supports the controls, data, simulation, analytics and overall digital infrastructure capabilities required to enable rapid development and accelerate transition of battery cell technologies into scalable solutions.

The Role

The successful candidate will lead and build a multidisciplinary team responsible for controls engineering, digital infrastructure, data systems, digital twin capabilities and integration. This leader will partner closely with process development, operations, quality, IT / data, and equipment suppliers to deliver a connected ecosystem that enables rapid learning, improved process understanding, and scalable solutions.

This role requires a unique blend of technical depth, leadership capability, and strategic vision to advance capabilities within an advanced battery cell development environment.

What You’ll Do

Digital Strategy

• Develop and execute the Battery Cell Development Center digital roadmap.
• Define long-term vision for automation, digitalization, analytics, simulation and AI/ML capabilities
• Establish playbook that enables replication and scale-up
• Identify and prioritize high-value digital transformation opportunities.

Controls and Automation

• Lead controls engineering activities for the entire facility from raw materials receiving through end of line
• Partner with central controls and automation team to integrate and run controls architecture for the facility
• Support troubleshooting and optimization of battery cell processes
• Drive controls development and commissioning methodologies in physical and digital environments to reduce deployment risk and improve change over capabilities to new cell technologies

Digital Twin and Simulation

• Develop digital twin capabilities supporting process development and optimization.
• Implement simulation tools to evaluate process flow, throughput, capacity, and equipment interactions.
• Enable virtual validation of manufacturing concepts prior to physical implementation.
• Support future deployment of predictive manufacturing capabilities.

Systems and Infrastructure

• Lead implementation and integration of manufacturing systems including MES, historians, traceability platforms, etc.
• Define data architectures supporting development and operations
• Collaborate with enterprise IT teams to ensure all systems are supported
• Oversee development of scalable digital infrastructure for cells

Manufacturing Analytics

• Establish advanced analytics capabilities to transform data into actionable insights.
• Partner with battery data and analytics team to develop dashboards and visualization tools supporting process development and operational decisions
• Enable statistical process monitoring and predictive analytics with quality team
• Identify opportunities for machine learning and AI applications

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with engineering teams to accelerate learning cycles and improve process understanding.
• Support operations during equipment startup and build campaigns.
• Collaborate with quality to enhance traceability and root cause analysis capabilities.
• Work with external suppliers and technology partners to integrate emerging digital technologies.

Team Leadership

• Build, develop, and lead a high-performing team of digital systems professionals.
• Establish technical development plans
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Promote collaboration across engineering disciplines.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Automation, Manufacturing Engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing automation, controls, digital manufacturing, or related fields.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.
• Experience leading controls integration for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Experience implementing digital technologies.

What Will Give You A Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Master’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• Experience in battery, semiconductor, automotive, or other advanced manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of PLC platforms such as Siemens, Rockwell, or Beckhoff.
• Experience with SCADA, MES, historians.
• Experience with digital twin and simulation tools.
• Familiarity with cloud-based analytics environments.
• Experience applying machine learning or AI within manufacturing settings.

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc). This role is categorized as onsite. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location on a full-time basis. The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role. This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

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Benefits Overview

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