Technical Specialist, Battery Algorithms and Digital Twin, Ford Energy

Ford Energy is a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company dedicated to accelerating U.S. energy independence. Leveraging Fords 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 worlds most iconic brands. Learn more at .

In this position...
Ford Energy is seeking a Technical Specialist to own the battery intelligence stack for our BESS products: the state estimation diagnostics prognostics and digital twin capabilities that determine how safely reliably and profitably a storage system performs over a life of 20 years.

This role is for someone who has already shipped battery algorithms and wants to do it again at the start of a new product line. You will set the technical direction and stay hands-on building validating and deploying algorithms that run on production BMS hardware and in the cloud from cell to pack to container. Because Ford Energy is new your decisions on architecture data and validation will become the foundation of the platform not a patch on an existing one. You will work most closely with the BESS Cell Modeling BMS EMS and Digital Services teams and draw on Fords Auto battery organization for proven methods and test data adapting them to stationary storage where duty cycle chemistry and business case differ.

What you will own...

• Production-grade state estimation: SOC SOH Dynamic OCV and power/energy capability estimators that meet defined accuracy robustness and compute targets across temperature aging and partial-cycle duty.
• A deployable digital twin architecture: a defined edge (BMS/EMS) and cloud split with data model and interface specifications agreed with BMS EMS and Digital Services.
• A field-data feedback loop: a working pipeline from operating systems to model recalibration with drift monitoring and a release process for algorithm updates.
• Prognostics the business can use: degradation and Remaining Useful Life (RUL) models with quantified uncertainty that support warranty performance guarantees and dispatch decisions.
• Early-warning diagnostics: fault and anomaly detection that contributes to the safety case with false-alarm and missed-detection targets set and measured.
• A validation framework: test-to-field correlation SIL/HIL coverage and release criteria the whole organization trusts.

What youll do...

• Lead battery intelligence development across the BESS architecture and engage Pack Container PCS DC Block AC and Controls teams as program needs require.
• Define requirements for monitoring diagnostics prognostics and digital twins including accuracy latency compute memory data-rate and sensor needs and set the interfaces between the algorithm stack and BMS EMS and cloud platforms.
• Translate battery physics degradation mechanisms and operational requirements into implementable software and control strategies.
• Build hybrid (physics-based and data-driven) digital twins at cell pack and container levels working with Battery Modeling to turn electrochemical thermal and degradation models into reduced-order forms suited to embedded execution.
• Design develop and deploy algorithms for:
  • SOC including approaches that work with flat-OCV chemistries such as LFP
  • SOH capacity and resistance tracking and state of power
  • Thermal state estimation
  • RUL and degradation prediction covering calendar and cycle aging
  • Cell imbalance anomaly and fault detection including early indicators of safety events
  • Link lab testing validation and field monitoring into one workflow and quantify uncertainty with explicit error and confidence targets.
  • Lead technical reviews architecture decisions and deployment strategy; align modeling hardware controls and software organizations around them.
  • Adapt algorithms monitoring approaches and validation methods from Fords Auto battery teams to BESS needs and share what you learn back.
  • Mentor engineers across modeling controls and software and help shape the battery intelligence team as it grows.
    

Youll have...

• Masters degree with 8 years of experience or PhD with 5 years in Electrical Mechanical Chemical or Controls Engineering Materials Science or a related field.
• Hands-on experience developing and deploying battery algorithms on production systems (vehicle stationary storage or consumer device) meaning code or models that ran on real hardware or in a live fleet not only in simulation. Includes at least two of: SOC SOH state of power RUL/degradation thermal estimation or fault detection.
• Working knowledge of equivalent-circuit models and Kalman-family observers and familiarity with reduced-order electrochemical or semi-empirical aging models.
• Solid understanding of Li-ion physics: electrochemistry thermal behavior and aging mechanisms (e.g. SEI growth lithium plating loss of active material).
• Proficiency in Python and MATLAB/Simulink with working familiarity in C/C or another production language.
• Experience calibrating and validating models against cycling characterization and ideally field data including quantifying estimation error.
• Technical leadership across functions without formal authority and the ability to present trade-offs clearly to executives and non-specialists.

Even better you may have...

• PhD in a battery-relevant discipline or a publication/patent record in state estimation aging or controls.
• Algorithms running in a deployed fleet: over-the-air updates model-drift monitoring and learning from field returns and warranty data.
• Stationary storage and LFP experience including SOC/SOH estimation on flat OCV curves and long calendar-life behavior.
• Model-based design auto-code generation and SIL/HIL validation of BMS software.
• Machine learning for SOH/RUL or anomaly detection with judgment on when physics-based data-driven or hybrid methods fit best.
• Digital twin or time-series data platforms (cloud streaming MLOps) and edge-to-cloud architecture.
• Knowledge of BESS safety standards and practices (e.g. UL 9540/9540A IEC 62619 NFPA 855) and thermal-runaway early detection.
• Experience linking degradation models to warranty levelized cost of storage or dispatch optimization and familiarity with PCS/EMS interactions and grid-service duty cycles.
• Prior experience in an OEM battery organization or standing up an algorithm team or platform from scratch.
• Location & Travel
  • Location: Dearborn MI / Hybrid
  • Reports to: Manager BESS Platform
    

You may not check every box or your experience may look a little different from what weve outlined but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company we encourage you to apply!

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 builderor 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 Years Day
Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is leadership level 6 and ranges from $115500-$218100.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidates skills and experience and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits click here: As Ford establishes a wholly owned subsidiary focused on Battery Energy Storage Systems this role will initially be employed by Ford and is expected to transition to the subsidiary within one year.

Visa sponsorship is not 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 the United States if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability please call 1-.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.

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