Ford Motor Company

Technical Leader, Power Conversion Systems, Ford Energy

Ford Motor Company • $115K — $218K *
Dearborn, MI 48126In-Person
Energy & Utilities
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

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.

Responsibilities

  • Provide senior technical leadership for BESS platform architecture and integration with PCS systems.
  • Define the interoperability standard for integration with global inverter partners.
  • Oversee development and validation of high-fidelity grid models for utility interconnection studies.
  • Ensure PCS control behavior supports advanced grid services like synthetic inertia and black start.
  • Lead technical due diligence discussions to support project bankability with engineering firms and lenders.
  • Establish cybersecurity hardware standards for compliance with critical infrastructure requirements.
  • Analyze field usage data to identify failure trends and lead root cause analyses for system failures.

Benefits

  • Hybrid work environment with flexibility on location.
  • Opportunity to transition to a wholly owned subsidiary focused on BESS within one year.
  • Engagement with high-visibility projects and strategic decision-making in power conversion.
Full Job Description
Job Description

In this position...

The Technical Specialist, Power Conversion Systems (PCS) will serve as Ford Energy's Principal Technical Architect for BESS power conversion and grid-interface systems. This is a high-visibility, Individual Contributor (SME) role responsible for the technical direction, integration, and "bankability" of our DC blocks and their transition to the utility grid. You will act as the ultimate technical authority for inverter selection, transformer coordination, and grid compliance, ensuring that Ford Energy's solutions are technically superior, economically viable, and financially defensible to project investors.

Responsibilities

What you'll do...
  • Principal Architecture & Grid Interface
    • Provide senior technical leadership for the architecture and integration of the BESS platform with PCS systems, including DC-side interface requirements and protection strategies.
    • Define the "Interoperability Standard" to ensure the Ford Energy DC block can seamlessly integrate with a variety of 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 that PCS control behavior supports advanced grid services such as 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 the 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, converting data into engineering actions.
    • 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

You'll have..
  • 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.
  • Location & Travel
    • Flexible Location: This position is hybrid-friendly for candidates with a proven ability to deliver results outside of a traditional office environment.
    • Travel Expectations: This role requires travel to partner sites, certification labs, and customer installations (including potential international travel) to support technical integration.

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

This position is leadership level 6 and ranges from $115,500-218,100.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's 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: https://fordcareers.co/LL6FE

Company: 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.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.

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About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company manufactures or distributes automobiles in addition to offering financial services. The company sells to dealerships for retail sales, and for sale to fleet customers, including commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments. Ford’s vehicle portfolio includes automobiles, buses, tractors, and trucks. Retail financing includes retail installment sale contracts for new and used vehicles, and direct financing leases for new vehicles to retail customers, government entities, daily rental car companies, and fleet customers. Finance receivables in the non-consumer portfolio include products offered to automotive dealers. Ford’s environmental initiatives include compressed natural gas, flexible fuel vehicles, electric drive vehicles, Hydrogen, PC power management, and so on. Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 and is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan.

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Learn more about Ford Motor Company
Size
183,000 employees
Market Cap
$44.8 billion
Industry
Manufacturing & Automotive
Net Income
-$1.2 billion
Founded
1903
5 Year Trend
-2.1%
Revenue
$127.1 billion
NASDAQ
F
* Ladders Estimates

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