Product Development Systems Engineer

Saft; Catonsville (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Saft is seeking a results-driven Systems Engineer with a strong Electrical Engineering background to shape advanced battery system architectures for defense and mission-critical applications. You will own end-to-end systems engineering, driving architecture, interfaces, and validation across hardware and software components.

The role requires autonomy, hands-on electrical design capability, and collaboration with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced development environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Systems/Electrical Engineering or closely related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in complex product development with hands-on electrical or systems design responsibilities.
• Experience with defense, aerospace or mission-critical systems is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end systems engineering for advanced battery systems, including architecture, interfaces and SHV.
• Coordinate lab, HIL, prototype and demonstration testing to ensure technical readiness at milestones.
• Define verification strategies and lead cross-functional integration across hardware, software and controls.

Skills

Systems engineering

Electrical engineering

Leadership

Communication

Autonomy

Requirements management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Systems/Electrical Engineering

Tools

IBM Doors

PTC Codebeamer

Job description

Business Unit: Aerospace, Defense & Performance (ADP)

Reporting to: Product Management, ADP

Travel: Domestic and International travel required

Position Type: Full-Time

Shape the Future of Advanced Battery Systems

Saft is developing next-generation battery systems for defense and mission-critical applications, combining advanced energy storage capabilities with advanced battery monitoring and control technology. The next generation battery systems will have a strong focus on robust architecture, electrical design implementation, system integration, safety, and validation.

As part of this effort, the role will contribute to the maturation of advanced battery system solutions for new market segments.

We are seeking a highly motivated Systems Engineer with a strong Electrical Engineering background to help define, implement and validate innovative battery system architectures. The successful candidate will combine systems engineering discipline with hands-on electrical design capability, contributing directly to system architecture, requirements management, electrical interfaces, power conversion integration, verification and validation activities.

This position requires candidate MUST BE A US CITIZEN OR GREEN CARD HOLDER

Your Mission

As Product Development Systems Engineer, you will be responsible for the end-to-end systems engineering process for advanced battery system development, leading to operation prototype, testing and validation.

You will serve as a technical contributor and leader responsible for aligning battery systems, electrical design, power electronics, controls, embedded interfaces, safety functions and system integration activities into a cohesive product architecture.

The role requires a high level of autonomy and practical engineering ownership. You will be expected not only to structure and coordinate systems engineering activities, but also to directly implement, review and validate portions of the electrical and system design.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Engineering Leadership

• Identify, value and prioritize, together with marketing and product managers, the targeted applications for advanced battery systems.

• Define and run systems engineering activities for advanced battery system development programs.

• Establish technical roadmaps to progress early prototypes toward industrialized product solutions.

• Develop the overall system architecture for advanced battery system platforms.

• Defining key electrical and system interfaces between major functional blocks.

• Battery modules and battery assemblies

• Battery management and supervisory control systems

• External electrical and communication interfaces

• Conduct technical trade studies and design reviews.

• Contribute directly to electrical architecture, interface design, component selection, schematic review and prototype implementation activities.

• Participate and support hands-on debugging, electrical testing, troubleshooting and design iteration during prototype build and integration phases.

• Coordinate laboratory, HIL, prototype and demonstration testing.

• Ensure technical readiness at major program milestones.

• Work closely with design engineers while personally contributing to selected technical work packages where electrical or systems expertise is required.

Verification, Validation & Integration

• Define verification and validation strategies.
• Lead integration activities across hardware, software and control systems.

Safety & Compliance

• Gain understanding of compliance process and develop strategies for effective certifications
• Lead system-level hazard analyses and risk assessments.
• Define system protection strategies and fault management approaches.
• Support compliance with applicable military, aerospace and industry standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Interface with engineering teams in Cockeysville, Valdosta and Bordeaux, France
• Support project planning, technical reviews

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Systems/Electrical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline (electronics engineering, computer engineering, mechatronics engineering, etc)

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of experience in complex product development, including hands-on electrical or systems design responsibilities.

• Experience progressing products through development and validation phases.
• Experience in the energy storage system is a plus.
• Demonstrated success in working with a multidisciplinary engineering program

• Practical experience implementing or reviewing electrical designs, schematics, wiring diagrams, protection concepts or power conversion interfaces is highly desirable.

• Experience writing technical specifications/ proposal is a plus

Technical Expertise

Experience in several of the following areas:

• Experience in Battery Systems and Battery Management Systems is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with Power Electronics and Power Conversion

• Electrical architecture, circuit design, interface definition and prototype testing

• System Integration and Verification
• Good understanding of Functional Safety and Risk Analysis is required
• Experience with Requirements Management Tools (Example: IBM Doors, PTC Codebeamer)
• Experience with Defense, Aerospace or Mission-Critical Systems
• Battery Cell Electrochemistry understanding and tradeoff awareness will be helpful

Desired Qualities

• Strong technical leadership and decision-making capability.

• High degree of autonomy, with the ability to take ownership of activities from definition to execution in an early-stage development context.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence teams without direct authority.
• Customer-focused mindset.
• Comfortably operating in a fast-paced development environment.
• Passion for innovation and technology maturation.

What Success Looks Like

• Within the first 18 months, you will:

• Successfully support advanced battery system development through key technology demonstration activities.

• Deliver a validated system architecture supported by clear electrical interface definitions and prototype test evidence.

Why Join Saft?

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of advanced battery systems that combine energy storage, power electronics, embedded controls and intelligent safety functions. You will work with an international team of experts and directly influence the future of Saft's next-generation energy solutions.

Join us and help shape the future of resilient, intelligent battery systems.