Equipment Manager

About the Role

Gotion Inc. is building a state-of-the-art battery manufacturing facility in Manteno, IL, focusing on next-generation electric vehicle and energy storage technologies. The Equipment Manager will lead all equipment-related activities for Gotion’s Pack battery manufacturing, overseeing calibration, validation, testing, commissioning, SOP development, and long-term reliability performance. This role requires strong technical expertise, cultural adaptability, and a commitment to safety, integrity, and innovation in a high-volume manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Startup Leadership: Lead equipment commissioning for new production lines, coordinate factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT), and oversee calibration, validation, and performance verification. Develop equipment startup timelines aligned with production ramp plans.
• Equipment Installation, Calibration & Testing: Manage installation of key battery pack production equipment, ensure precision calibration and alignment of automated and high-voltage systems, and develop standardized calibration procedures. Validate equipment capability against process specifications and yield targets.
• SOP & Standardization Development: Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for equipment operation, preventive and predictive maintenance, troubleshooting, escalation, and safety compliance. Establish equipment documentation control and revision management, ensuring alignment with global headquarters standards and local regulatory requirements.
• Reliability, Equipment Uptime & Continuous Improvement: Establish preventive and predictive maintenance systems, track KPIs such as OEE, MTBF, MTTR, and downtime trends, and drive root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action implementation. Lead TPM and continuous improvement initiatives to reduce unplanned downtime and improve overall equipment efficiency.
• Cross-Cultural & Global Collaboration: Serve as the primary liaison between local operations and Gotion headquarters, collaborate with international OEM vendors and technical teams, and demonstrate cultural awareness and adaptability in communication. Support translation and technical alignment between global engineering standards and local implementation.
• Leadership & Communication: Build and lead a high-performing equipment engineering and maintenance team of over 50 members. Provide hands-on coaching during startup and ramp phases, communicate clearly across engineering, production, quality, EHS, and executive leadership, and present technical performance updates to senior management.
• Equipment Lifecycle Management: Oversee installation, commissioning, qualification, and validation of new equipment and future projects. Develop long-term asset management strategies, manage capital equipment planning and budget forecasting, and coordinate upgrades, retrofits, and obsolescence management.
• Manufacturing Process Support: Support critical battery pack production processes to ensure equipment performance meets production yield and quality targets.
• Team Leadership: Develop training programs for technical staff and operators, build succession planning and technical competency programs, and foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Safety & Compliance: Ensure compliance with OSHA, NFPA, environmental, and battery safety standards. Enforce lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures and high-voltage safety protocols, participate in safety audits and risk assessments, and ensure safe handling of materials used in battery pack production.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive Lean Manufacturing, TPM, and Six Sigma initiatives. Improve OEE, reduce scraps related to equipment performance, implement digital maintenance systems (CMMS), and benchmark best practices across global battery manufacturing sites.
• Budget & Vendor Management: Manage maintenance and spare parts budgets, oversee critical spare parts inventory strategy, coordinate with OEMs and international equipment suppliers, and negotiate service contracts and support agreements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in high-volume manufacturing.
• 3+ years in an equipment engineering or maintenance leadership role.
• Experience with automated manufacturing lines, PLCs, robotics, servo systems, and industrial controls.
• Experience with CMMS systems.
• Strong leadership and team management experience, including managing teams of 50+ members.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in lithium-ion battery manufacturing (LFP preferred).
• Knowledge of dry room operations and humidity-controlled environments.
• Experience in battery pack production.
• Lean/Six Sigma certification.
• Experience working with union manufacturing contractors.
• Exposure to international equipment integration (Asia, Europe suppliers).

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Equipment uptime percentage.
• Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF).
• Mean Time to Repair (MTTR).
• Maintenance cost per unit produced.
• Safety incident rate related to equipment.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Equipment Planning.
• Technical Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis.
• Cross-functional Collaboration.
• Budget & Capital Planning.
• Safety Leadership.
• Data-Driven Decision Making.

Work Environment

• Manufacturing floor environment, including dry rooms and high-voltage areas.
• Requires PPE and adherence to strict safety standards.
• Occasional international travel for equipment validation or supplier visits.
• On-call support for critical production issues.

Pay

The U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $150,000 – $180,000, plus eligibility for bonus and benefits. Salary ranges are determined by role, level, and geographic location, with actual compensation influenced by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.