Staff Battery Cell Engineer

Ford Motor Company; Long Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 284,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Family building benefits

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a leader in Next-Gen Cell Technology to guide evaluation, selection, and development of automotive-grade battery cells. You will coordinate with suppliers, drive roadmaps, and oversee NPI testing and risk analyses.

Join an on-site/hybrid team to advance EV batteries, manage cost and safety targets, and influence Ford's electrified future with cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years experience in battery cell technology, with hands-on experience evaluating or launching automotive-grade cells.
• Experience engaging with cell suppliers or startups on technology evaluation, development, or sourcing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with deep understanding of electrochemistry and cell performance.
• Excellent communication and collaboration to work with cross-functional teams and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Research and evaluate emerging battery cell chemistries and form factors.
• Analyze energy density, power density, cycle life, fast-charge, and safety factors.
• Build and maintain the next-gen cell technology roadmap and TRL/MRL tracking.
• Lead supplier engagement, including technical reviews and co-development agreements.
• Support NPI testing plans and DFMEA/PFMEA in new cell designs.

Skills

Battery technology

Supplier engagement

Analytical skills

Electrochemistry

Cross-functional collaboration

Data interpretation

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Chemical Engineering or Materials Science

Tools

MATLAB

Python

LabVIEW

Job description

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

Ford’s Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company’s vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven and is dedicated to delivering industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. You’ll join an agile team of doers pioneering our EV future by working collaboratively, staying focused on only what matters, and delivering excellence day in and day out. Join us to make positive change by helping build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.

In this position...

What you’ll do

Next Generation Cell Technology & Roadmap

• Research and evaluate emerging battery cell chemistries and form factors.
• Analyze and compare battery cell characteristics, including energy density, power density, cycle life, fast-charge capability, and safety factors.
• Generate and maintain the next generation cell technology roadmap and strategy, tracking technology readiness level (TRL) and manufacturing readiness level (MRL) of candidate cells.
• Select the most suitable next-gen cell format and chemistry based on performance, cost, and safety requirements.
• Create cell-level requirements in Jama that support vehicle-level attributes and next-gen program targets.

Supply Base Development & Engagement

• Build and maintain strong technical relationships with leading cell manufacturers, material suppliers, and emerging startups developing next-gen cell technology.
• Evaluate supplier technology roadmaps, R&D capability, and production maturity levels to inform sourcing and partnership decisions.
• Lead joint development activities with suppliers, including technical reviews, capability audits, and co-development agreements for next-gen cells.
• Partner with Purchasing and Supply Chain teams to support supplier selection, contract negotiations, and sourcing strategy for next-gen cell programs.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for supplier engagement on next-gen cell development, ensuring alignment with Ford's performance, cost, and quality targets.

New Product Introduction (NPI) & Testing Support

• Support BMS team with test plans and analysis of test data to support SOx algorithm development (SOC, SOH, SOT, SOP).
• Develop and execute comprehensive testing plans with suppliers to validate performance, safety, and reliability of next-gen cell samples.
• Lead supplier design reviews, engineering sample builds, and engineering change management throughout the NPI process.
• Collaborate with suppliers on DFMEA development and PFMEA document analysis for new cell designs and manufacturing processes.
• Conduct root cause analysis of cell failures such as early life capacity loss, high DCIR growth, and internal short circuits, working jointly with supplier engineering teams.
• Evaluate test fixture design and lab requirements needed to characterize next-gen cell samples.

Cost & Program Management

• Continuously explore cost-reduction opportunities for next-gen battery cells and associated materials in partnership with the supply base.
• Track program milestones, supplier deliverables, and technical risk for next-gen cell development programs.
• Collaborate with the procurement team to ensure a stable, scalable, and cost-effective supply chain for next-gen cell components as programs move toward production.

You’ll have…

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Minimum of 7 years experience in battery cell technology, with hands-on experience evaluating or launching automotive-grade cells.
• Experience directly engaging with cell suppliers or startups on technology evaluation, development, or sourcing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a deep understanding of electrochemistry and battery cell performance characteristics.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external suppliers.
• Knowledge of relevant industry standards, regulations, and safety requirements for electric vehicle batteries.

Even better, you may have…

• Proficiency in relevant software tools for battery modeling, simulation, and data analysis (e.g., MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW).
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Confluence, and Jira applications.
• Experience with instrumentation and measurement in a lab environment.
• Prior experience supporting supplier sourcing, contract negotiation, or supplier agreements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• An eagerness to work cross-functionally in a dynamic environment where you are part of a high performing team.
• A systems approach to design and development with the desire and curiosity to strive for exceptional delivery execution and continuous improvement.

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 leadership level 6 and ranges from $150,200-$283,500.

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 available for this position.

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.