Overview

The Manager of Systems Engineering is responsible for leading and executing technical projects related to new lithium battery products, cost and quality improvements. This role owns system-level project planning, concept development and selection, and implementation throughout the product development lifecycle.

In this leadership role, the Manager of Systems Engineering has direct management responsibility for Applications Engineers and Systems Engineers, including setting goals, prioritizing work, and developing team capabilities to support business and customer objectives.

The position requires strong systems thinking to evaluate complex technical tradeoffs, create robust and modular system architectures, and drive innovation and cost improvements across both Commercial and Military product platforms. Key activities include scoping new products and opportunities, defining products, translating the voice of the customer into technical requirements, developing technical roadmaps, and providing overall product technical leadership.

This position reports to the Senior Director of Lithium Products and is based in Alpharetta, Georgia. On-site daily is required.

Responsibilities

Project & Technical Leadership

• Ensure project development activities are completed on schedule and meet all cost, quality, and performance requirements.
• Lead project planning and develop multiple technical and business scenarios during project scoping to recommend the best execution path.
• Act as a hands-on problem solver and resourceful leader to identify and remove technical and organizational roadblocks.
• Manage project budgets, including development expenses and capital investments.
• Lead design, prototyping, validation, and implementation of new lithium battery products.
• Drive the development and execution of Design Verification Plans & Reports (DVP&R) and Failure Modes & Effects Analysis (FMEA).

Team Leadership

• Oversee people development.
• Attracting talent.
• Set goals and objectives.
• Coaching, mentoring, and performance review.

Cross Functional & Systems Integration

• Lead and prioritize cross-functional engineering teams to ensure successful project execution, often coordinating multiple large projects
• simultaneously.
• Conduct system integration events and technical reviews focused on design robustness, quality, cost, manufacturability, and product safety.
• Collaborate closely with manufacturing and service teams to enhance product manufacturability (Design for Manufacturing) and serviceability (Design for Service).
• Manage system integration activities across both product development and advanced development programs.
• Drive architecture definition, complexity reduction, and modular product design strategies.

Requirements, Planning & Communication

• Lead the development of clear product definitions and translate them into actionable system and technical requirements.
• Collaborate with marketing and product management to convert the voice of the customer and market specifications into engineering requirements and product specifications.
• Own project communication, status reporting, risk tracking, and progress updates to stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain technical roadmaps aligned with business strategy and product leadership goals.

Customer, Sales & Quality Support

• Provide technical support to sales and service organizations, particularly for engineering-to-order activities and product quality issues.
• Assign and coordinate application engineering resources to support customer programs and quality improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

Education, Experience, Certifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering (Required).
• MBA, MS in electrical engineering/systems engineering preferred.
• 7-10 years of experience in product development, systems engineering, and product design.
• 5+ years of experience leading technical projects for cost, quality, and managing engineering teams.
• Experience with lithium battery design, power electronics, or energy storage product development.
• Project Management Professional (PMI certification)
• Lean/Six Sigma Certification
• System Engineering Certification (INCOSE) preferred.
• Proven ability to lead teams, negotiate effectively, and manage conflict.

To be successful with this role:

• Thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with a strong understanding of product design and manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrate strong project management skills, including agile development methodologies.
• Exhibit excellent interpersonal and leadership skills to build trust and lead engineering teams.
• Expertise in mechanical or electrical design fundamentals, thermal systems, materials science, or hardware design.
• Apply systems thinking with an innovative and solution-oriented mindset.
• Apply engineering expertise in mechanical/electrical design, DFSS, CAD tools, hardware and tooling design, modelling, simulation, heat transfer, and materials science.
• Drive complexity reduction through thoughtful product architecture and systems engineering practices.