Principal BMS Engineer

Actalent; Michigan; On-site; USD 79,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Job summary

Actalent seeks a Principal Battery Management System (BMS) Engineer to provide technical leadership, owning system-level architecture and long-term stewardship of advanced BMS solutions. This role requires directing cross-functional architecture decisions across firmware, electronics, and algorithms, while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance in scalable products.

You will lead multi-generation BMS platforms, drive technical direction, and mentor teams to deliver robust, safe, and

Qualifications

• 15+ years embedded systems experience.
• 7+ years with battery or energy systems.

Responsibilities

• Own BMS architecture and system-level design decisions.
• Define system-level BMS architecture and standards.

Skills

Embedded Systems

BMS Firmware

System Architecture

CAN Protocols

SPI/I2C

J1939/UDS

DFMEA/FTA

Troubleshooting

Real-Time Systems

Education

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Relevant certifications or graduate coursework

Tools

DFMEA

FTA

Safety Standards (UL/IEC/ISO)

Job description

Job Title: Principal BMS Engineer

We are seeking a Principal Battery Management System (BMS) Engineer to provide technical leadership, architectural ownership, and long-term stewardship of advanced BMS solutions. The Principal BMS Engineer will define technical direction, own system-level architecture decisions, ensure regulatory and functional safety compliance, and serve as the subject-matter expert across firmware, electronics, algorithms, and system integration. In this role, you will own and steward multi-generation BMS platforms, define system-level technical direction, and guide cross-functional architectural decisions to ensure BMS solutions are robust, scalable, and aligned with current and future product roadmaps.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical authority for BMS architecture, including firmware, electronics, sensing, controls, and system integration.
• Define and maintain system-level BMS architecture, design patterns, and technical standards across multiple product lines.
• Lead technical trade studies for safety, performance, cost, manufacturability, and long-term maintainability.
• Establish best practices for embedded firmware architecture, hardware abstraction, diagnostics, and fault handling.
• Provide expert-level guidance on embedded firmware design, real-time systems, and safety-critical software.
• Lead development and review of core BMS algorithms, including SOC, SOH, SOE, cell balancing, protection, diagnostics, and degradation monitoring.
• Own interpretation and application of relevant safety and compliance standards (e.g., UL, IEC, ISO, functional safety guidance) as they relate to BMS design.
• Drive system-level requirements decomposition, traceability, and verification strategy.
• Lead DFMEA, FTA, and system-level risk assessments; ensure mitigation strategies are implemented and verified.
• Guide development of end-of-line test strategies, diagnostic coverage, and service tools.
• Ensure BMS designs are manufacturable, testable, and serviceable at scale.
• Support long-term sustainment, reliability improvements, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

Essential Skills

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Computer Engineering preferred; or Bachelor's degree in a related field with relevant certifications or graduate-level coursework.
• 15+ years of embedded systems work experience.
• 7+ years of experience working with battery or relevant energy systems preferred.
• Recognized expert in BMS firmware, electronics, and system-level design.
• Deep understanding of lithium-ion battery behavior, protection strategies, and safety mechanisms.
• Proven ability to define and evolve system architectures across multiple product generations.
• Advanced proficiency with embedded communication protocols (SPI, I2C, CAN, CANOpen, J1939, UDS).
• Strong experience with verification, validation, and compliance in regulated or safety-critical environments.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, including root-cause analysis of complex system issues.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• BMS, systems architecture, battery management system, algorithm development, system integration, firmware development, embedded controls.
• Embedded Systems, Systems Architecture, DFMEA.

Work Environment

The role involves working in an environment that emphasizes the importance of technical leadership and innovation in BMS solutions. Employees are expected to engage in cross-functional collaboration and contribute to the development of scalable and robust BMS architectures. The work setting supports continuous improvement and reliability enhancements, with a focus on maintaining compliance with industry safety and technical standards.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Ann Arbor, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $57.00 - $96.15/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits