PRINCIPAL BATTERY PRODUCT ENGINEER

Get to know East Penn!

Navitas Systems LLC, a leader in comprehensive energy storage solutions, was formed in 2011 with the merger of MicroSun Innovative Energy Storage Solutions and MicroSun Electronics, and the acquisition of lithium battery company A123 Systems’ Government Solutions Group. In 2019, East Penn Manufacturing, one of the world’s leading battery manufacturers, acquired majority interest in Navitas Systems. In SEVEN remarkable decades, East Penn has grown from a one-room shop with a product line of five automotive batteries to one of the world’s leading battery manufacturers with over 10,500 full-time employees, 515 product designs, operations around the world, and hundreds of awards for industry excellence.

At our Navitas facilities we engage in the research, design, development, and manufacture of advanced lithium cells and energy storage products and systems for both commercial customers and U.S. Government/military customers. We invest in our people, they are and always will be the heart of this company. Are you ready to join a family-owned enterprise committed to honoring the contributions of everyone? Then Navitas is the right place for you.

Overview

Navitas is ready to invest in you!  We are seeking an experienced Principal Battery Product Engineer in Ann Arbor, Michigan that will be responsible to lead the design, development, release, and validation of lithium-ion battery modules and packs for customized industrial and military applications.

Responsibilities

• Acts as primary technical authority and directs product development for multiple battery development programs as assigned
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge-base of advancements in battery systems, components, materials, and manufacturing techniques
• Direct requirements reviews, test readiness reviews, and design reviews to ensure that the product being developed meets all stakeholder requirements
• Drives compliance to customer requirements and maintains compliance matrix records against baseline throughout product development cycle
• Maintains changes to requirements, performs impact analysis, and assists program manager in tracking scope creep
• Strongly supports other key functional engineering groups with their tasks (ME, EE, SW, BMS) to complete the total product design, validation, and release
• Direct the creation of models, prints, electrical schematics, PCBA layouts, and BOM for design in a revision-controlled state throughout the development and production launch process
• Ensure that a common methodology is used to define critical characteristics and inspection criteria for incoming components, assemblies, and final assemblies
• Create and release assembly and functional test specifications related to the battery system and its subsystems
• Support supplier evaluation and selection
• Create, support, and update DFMEAs and DVPRs as required
• Directly manage prototype creation, design validation, and production validation testing
• Work with Business Development to obtain product requirements and customer approvals
• Drive closed-loop handling of all issues to prevent propagation of risk, prevent recurrence of failures, and to drive continuous improvement
• Provide cost and timing quotations for work proposals for cell, module, and pack development and validation
• Performs in a manner that will prevent errors and omissions.
• Provides advisory support and assistance to the department manager as needed
• Responsible for meeting team targets and key performance indicators
• Follow all safety guidelines and operate in a safe manner
• Physical presence on the job is essential
• Other duties as assigned by management
• May have 2-3 direct reports, typically product engineers who are each responsible for a single product development program

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an ABET accredited institution (Mechanical, Electrical,  Chemical, or Systems Engineering)
• Minimum of 15 years of product engineering design, development, validation, and production release
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in battery system product development

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Battery system product development experience
• Ability to lead, direct, and motivate a team
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience in leading the selection, validation, and integration of mechanical, electrical, and software elements into end-user product
• Broad engineering knowledge in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, and Industrial engineering with a strong focus on at least one discipline
• Demonstrated understanding of battery management system operating principles and the electrical hardware and software systems that comprise a battery management system
• Practical experience in the design and application of structural parts fabricated from a variety of means such as molding, casting, machining, and additive manufacturing
• DFMEA and DVP&R composition experience for electrical/mechanical systems
• Strong mathematical design modeling and optimization skills
• Disciplined root cause and corrective action problem solving practices
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially MS Excel

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Systems Engineering
• Data analysis skills such as Excel Macro language, Python, MATLAB
• FEA, thermal, vibration and shock analysis experience a plus
• Ability to read electrical schematics and direct electrical system diagnostics

ITAR REQUIREMENTS: To conform to U.S. Government International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) the individual must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

East Penn Benefits

Navitas/East Penn offers excellent benefits:

• Competitive compensation
• Group health insurance that includes high quality medical, dental, vision and prescription coverage with a low employee premium
• Retirement Savings Plan with company match and a 3% employer contribution
• Paid company holidays and Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Employee assistance program
• Fitness Discounts
• Promotional opportunities

At Navitas/East Penn, our employees are our culture; our employees will always be the heart of the company. We are a private, family-owned enterprise committed to cultivating an atmosphere that honors the contributions of everyone.  We want our employees to have long-term careers, and many do. More than 38% of our workforce has over a decade of service. Our open-door management policy, comprehensive benefits package, employee appreciation and recognition events, and career advancement opportunities are just some of the ways we show our employees how incredibly valued they are.

EOE/VEVRAA