Team Manager Engineering, Ford Energy

Ford; Kentucky; On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Ford Energy in Kentucky seeks a Safety & Quality Engineering Leader to drive zero-defect manufacturing for battery energy storage systems. You will lead an agile engineering team, govern mechanical, electrical, and automation aspects, and partner with IT/Cybersecurity to ensure secure, robust production.

Reporting to the plant leadership, you will foster a culture of safety, precision, and continuous improvement while delivering SQDCPME objectives, improving uptime and process yields across 24/7

Responsibilities

• Safety Advocacy: Serve as the primary advocate for safety, enforcing zero-compromise compliance with Safety Operating System practices to achieve zero injuries across all technical and automated operations.
• Operating System Compliance: Ensure engineering team adherence and compliance with the Ford Production System (FPS) Key Unifying Processes (KUP) and Quality Operating System (QOS) to achieve zero defects.
• Equipment Validation: Support the setup, runtime validation, and safety runoff of automated BESS manufacturing equipment per Ford specifications at both supplier and plant locations.
• Engineering Approvals: Govern final engineering approvals and updates for mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical drawings, as well as plant layout and operator workstation optimization.
• Process & Equipment Design: Partner with ME and plant personnel to manage process design, FMEAs, and equipment installation documentation to ensure timely validation.
• Constraint & Issue Resolution: Manage technical issue resolution during machine build, installation, commissioning, and steady-state production to minimize plant floor constraints and downtime.

Skills

Leadership

Safety Management

Mentoring/Coaching

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 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.
In this position.

The Opportunity

• Lead with Purpose: Build, inspire, and lead an agile engineering team to deliver advanced technology driving the future of grid storage.
• Lead System Performance: Direct the implementation and optimization of production, material flow , and automation architectures to ensure maximum first-time-through (FTT)
• Enable Business Results: Achieve plant performance benchmarks by delivering on SQDCPME (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, Maintenance, Environment) objectives, ensuring 100%flow, and minimizing production downtime.
• Drive Continuous Improvement: Use your entrepreneurial mindset to implement data-driven solutions, and capture lessons learned to improve manufacturing robustness.
• Develop People & Capability: Manage, coach, and mentor a multi-skilled engineering team, fostering a "Leaders as Teachers" environment that prioritizes technical upskilling and continuous learning.
• Partner Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and IT/Cybersecurity teams to ensure seamless controls/IT integration and efficient process flow.

Responsibilities

What you’ll do...

Safety & Quality Engineering Leadership

• Safety Advocacy: Serve as the primary advocate for safety, enforcing zero-compromise compliance with Safety Operating System practices to achieve zero injuries across all technical and automated operations.
• Operating System Compliance: Ensure engineering team adherence and compliance with the Ford Production System (FPS) Key Unifying Processes (KUP) and Quality Operating System (QOS) to achieve zero defects.
• Equipment Validation: Support the setup, runtime validation, and safety runoff of automated BESS manufacturing equipment per Ford specifications at both supplier and plant locations.

Strategic Management & Technical Execution

• Engineering Approvals: Govern final engineering approvals and updates for mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical drawings, as well as plant layout and operator workstation optimization.
• Process & Equipment Design: Partner with Manufacturing Engineering (ME) and plant personnel to manage process design, FMEAs (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), and equipment installation documentation to ensure timely validation.
• Constraint & Issue Resolution: Manage technical issue resolution during machine build, installation, commissioning, and steady-state production to minimize plant floor constraints and downtime.

Leadership & Culture

• Create a culture of trust and psychological safety, encouraging diversity of thought and removing barriers to team success.
• Foster technical excellence and precision in others, coordinating OEM and vendor training where technical upskilling on specialized systems is required.
• Drive high-performing behavior and maintain clear accountability across rotational and standard operating shifts.