Chief Engineer

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Regular Full-Time Lake Orion, MI, US

Job Summary:

The Chief Engineer is the senior engineering leader and accountable technical authority for American Battery Solutions (“ABS”) high-voltage battery-pack programs. This role is accountable for the technical integrity, engineering readiness, and successful technical delivery of the product from customer pursuit and concept development through validation, production launch, and lifecycle support.

The role serves as ABS's senior technical representative and leads the cross-functional engineering team and is the single point of technical accountability for the program. This individual establishes the technical direction, makes or drives resolution of significant technical decisions, ensures risks are understood and appropriately mitigated, and confirms that the product is safe, reliable, manufacturable, serviceable, and ready to meet customer commitments.

Responsibilities:

Program and Product Accountability

• Accountable for the technical delivery of programs from Request for Quotation (RFQ) to production, ensure the engineering team delivers a complete, mature, validated, and production-ready product at each development gate.
• Serve as the accountable technical decision-maker for the program; ensure significant technical tradeoffs, risks, assumptions, and decisions are documented, communicated, and resolved at the appropriate level.
• Escalate technical risks, customer commitments, resource constraints, and decisions that exceed program authority promptly and with a clear recommended path forward.

Technical Leadership

• Apply deep technical knowledge to guide the team through complex product, integration, validation, production, and field issues.
• Lead and direct the cross-functional engineering team, including Pack Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Battery Management System (BMS) Hardware and Software, Validation, Engineering Quality Assurance, and Service & Aftermarket contributors.
• Lead technical, readiness, and risk reviews, driving rigorous resolution of technical issues using sound engineering methods, root-cause analysis, and effective read-across to other ABS programs.

Customer and Cross Functional Leadership

• Build stakeholder confidence through credible technical leadership, transparent communication, decisive issue resolution, and consistent follow-through.
• Work with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Service & Aftermarket to ensure designs are robust for production, supply continuity, field diagnosis, repair, and lifecycle support.
• Lead the technical response to significant customer, production, supplier, validation, warranty, and field issues.

Organizational Leadership and Capability Development

• Mentor engineering contributors; develop technical judgment, systems thinking, ownership, and disciplined execution across the program team.
• Model the leadership behaviors expected of a senior ABS engineering leader: accountability, sound judgment, constructive challenge, customer focus, collaboration, and follow-through.
• Strengthen technical capability beyond assigned programs by promoting standards, best practices, reusable designs, lessons learned, and effective problem-solving methods.
• Contribute to engineering strategy, product roadmaps, technical reviews, organizational initiatives, and continuous-improvement activities.

Other

• Adhere to federal and state regulations.
• Adhere to all company policies, processes, and procedures.
• Performs other duties as requested, directed, or assigned.
• Predictable and reliable attendance.

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Systems Engineering or related Engineering discipline.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible engineering experience, including leadership of complex electro-mechanical products or systems through development and production launch.
• Demonstrated experience with high-voltage battery systems, electrified powertrain systems, energy-storage systems, or comparable safety-critical products.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional engineering teams and delivering products from concept through production.
• Strong technical knowledge across battery-pack system disciplines, including electrical, mechanical, thermal, BMS hardware/software, controls, diagnostics, and vehicle or equipment integration.
• Proven ability to make sound technical decisions and resolve complex issues involving safety, performance, reliability, cost, timing, manufacturability, and serviceability.
• Experience with automotive or commercial-vehicle product-development processes, including Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Design Verification Plan and Report (DVP&R), change management, and root-cause analysis.
• Delegates Effectively: Assigns work to others to maximize time for strategic thinking and actions; Provides clear guidelines, monitors, redirects, and sets limits as needed. Provides challenging assignments, shares authority, and provides resources and support.
• Decision Making & Analysis: Makes sound decisions based upon a mixture of data-driven analysis, expertise, experience, and judgment; collects relevant information, seeks input from others, and identifies connections and/or root causes of problems.
• Continual Improvement: Displays a consistent orientation toward producing the highest quality products or services while keeping a focus on sustainability. Constantly looking for incremental improvements in work processes and results.
• Delivers Results: Achievement-oriented, feeling a sense of urgency to reach goals on time, if not before.
• Influences Others: Has personal and organizational impact built on mutual trust, fairness, and honesty. Flexes their style to direct, collaborate, or empower, as the situation requires.

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office equipment.
• Ability to adjust focus, especially due to concentration on a computer screen.
• May need to lift and carry up to 30 pounds and/or position the body to reach items on the floor/below knee level or reach overhead.
• The person in this position needs to occasionally move about in industrial environments, and on uneven terrain.
• Works in a temperature-controlled office environment, with occasional work in outdoor weather conditions, and in industrial environments.
• May be required to travel to and navigate a variety of sites to fully understand material needs.

Why Join Us

American Battery Solutions (ABS) provides comprehensive 100% employer paid benefit plans to employees and their family, competitive salary and retirement program. ABS employs a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Benefits Overview

• Paid time off includes 3 weeks vacation, up to 72 hours sick, 15 holidays, and parental leave.
• 100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA)offerings.
• Company provided 401K savings plan with immediately vested matching contributions to help you save for retirement.
• Voluntary benefitsofferings.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee Referral Program.
• Employee development and career growth opportunities.

About Us

American Battery Solutions Inc. (“ABS”) is a manufacturer of advanced batteries for commercial, fleet, and industrial on- and off-road vehicles. Located in the heart of the U.S. automotive region with facilities in Michigan and Ohio. In 2023, ABS was acquired by Komatsu, a world leader in construction, mining, forestry, and industrial heavy equipment in support of Komatsu’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal. ABS continues to operate as an independent entity serving Komatsu applications while continuing to expand and grow our core commercial, fleet and industrial business.

As we have grown, ABS has assembled a world-class team of dedicated and experienced engineers. This team is equipped with a deep understanding of high-voltage, automotive-grade battery systems from concept development and prototyping, to testing and validation, to high-volume production. We pride ourselves on developing a diverse team of next generation battery experts.

The Location - Lake Orion

American Battery Solutions Headquarters and Innovation Center is located in the heart of South-East Michigan in Orion Township. Orion Township is a Pure Michigan Trail Town that has a long-standing dedication to enhancing trails and pathways in its community, which is home to the Polly Ann Trail, Paint Creek Trail, and Iron Belle Trail. The township has more than 50 miles of trails. Southeast Michigan also boasts some of the best eating around! Whether your interest is in furthering your education, enjoying one of the many regional sporting events, or enjoying the vast outdoors that Michigan has to offer, you’ll be at the center of it here!

AMERICAN BATTERY SOLUTIONS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.