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Technical Leader, Power Conversion Systems, Ford Energy

Ford Energy · Dearborn, MI · 4 days ago
HybridInformation Technology$116k–$218k/yrFull-time

Why Ford Energy?

Ford Energy is a newly formed subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, leveraging the company's century of manufacturing excellence and cutting-edge battery energy storage systems (BESS) technology. Our mission is to accelerate U.S. energy independence by designing, manufacturing, and servicing grid-scale and commercial DC battery energy storage systems (BESS).

What you'll do...

  • Principal Architecture & Grid Interface

    • Provide senior technical leadership for the architecture and integration of the BESS platform with PCS systems.
    • Define the "Interoperability Standard" to ensure seamless integration with various global inverter (PCS) partners.
    • Define and review technical interfaces for interconnection architecture, including voltage matching, insulation coordination, and grounding philosophy.

  • Grid Modeling & Simulation Governance

    • Oversee the development and validation of high-fidelity grid models (e.g., PSCAD, PSS/E, MATLAB/Simulink) required for utility interconnection studies and witness testing.
    • Ensure PCS control behavior supports advanced grid services like synthetic inertia, black start, and rapid frequency response.
    • Lead technical risk reviews (DFMEA) for PCS/BESS interfaces, focusing on transient response and EMI/EMC concerns.

  • Commercial Bankability & Regulatory Leadership

    • Support the "bankability" of Ford Energy projects by leading technical due diligence discussions with Independent Engineering (IE) firms, lenders, and insurers.
    • Establish cybersecurity hardware standards for the PCS and communications interface to ensure compliance with NERC-CIP and other critical infrastructure requirements.
    • Lead the strategy for UL and IEEE certification (e.g., UL 1741, IEEE 1547), working with labs to define test strategies and close technical gaps.

  • Lifecycle Performance & Field Intelligence

    • Analyze field usage and diagnostics data to identify failure trends or control instability.
    • Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for complex system failures involving PCS behavior or grid-side anomalies.
    • Serve as a technical mentor to the Senior Engineer (Integration) and Commissioning teams to ensure engineering knowledge is transferred to the field.

Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in electrical engineering, Power Electronics, or a related technical field.

  • 10+ years of experience in power electronics, grid-connected energy systems, or high-voltage electrification.

  • Deep technical expertise in battery systems, inverter/converter operation, and grid interconnection architecture.

  • Demonstrated experience with utility-scale grid modeling (PSCAD, PSS/E) and interconnection studies.

  • Strong understanding of UL, IEC, IEEE, and NFPA standards relevant to BESS.

Even you better, you may have...

  • PhD in Electrical Engineering or Power Electronics.

  • Direct experience with stationary BESS or large-scale solar inverter integration.

  • Experience supporting the project financing process (technical due diligence) for energy infrastructure.

  • Background in automotive high-voltage systems with transferable rigor to BESS applications.

Leadership Attributes

  • Technical Visionary capable of defining the future of power conversion for the American grid.

  • Strategic Influencer who can translate complex power electronics math into clear business risks and opportunities for executive audiences.

  • Safety-First Architect who prioritizes long-term asset performance and grid stability.

  • Collaborative SME who thrives in a fast-paced startup environment while maintaining corporate-level technical rigor.

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