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vslpowerhive.com
Job details:
Job Description – Proto/Pilot Senior Manager (Mechanical & Electrical) – BESS
Role Summary
The Proto/Pilot Senior Manager – Mechanical & Electrical (BESS) will lead prototype development, pilot production, mechanical and electrical integration, validation support, and manufacturing readiness for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) products at a 5 GWh / 6.25 GWh manufacturing facility.
The role will act as a critical bridge between Engineering, Validation, Quality, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to ensure successful transition from prototype development to pilot production and scalable mass manufacturing.
Key Job Responsibilities
Prototype & Pilot Build Leadership
- Lead end-to-end prototype and pilot build activities for BESS products.
- Manage engineering builds, design validation builds, pre-production builds, and pilot production builds.
- Develop and execute prototype build plans, schedules, resource requirements, and milestones.
- Drive rapid problem-solving and design iterations during prototype and pilot stages.
- Ensure prototype builds are completed within defined timelines, quality, safety, and cost targets.
- Lead teams of engineers, technicians, and manufacturing personnel involved in prototype and pilot builds.
Mechanical Prototype & System Integration
- Lead mechanical integration of battery modules, packs, racks, enclosures, and containerized BESS systems.
- Oversee assembly of structural frames, battery housings, cooling systems, mechanical interfaces, and related components.
- Identify and resolve mechanical fitment, tolerance, interference, fastening, sealing, and structural issues.
- Ensure proper mechanical integration across the complete BESS architecture.
- Support thermal and cooling system integration, including interfaces between mechanical and thermal components.
- Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) improvements.
- Work with mechanical design teams to incorporate prototype and pilot build learnings into future product revisions.
- Support tooling, fixture, jig, and assembly process development for mechanical manufacturing.
Electrical Prototype & System Integration
- Lead electrical prototype and pilot builds for battery modules, packs, racks, and complete BESS systems.
- Oversee integration of high-voltage and low-voltage electrical systems.
- Manage assembly and integration of busbars, cables, connectors, contactors, fuses, relays, sensors, and wiring harnesses.
- Ensure proper electrical integration from Cell → Module → Pack → Rack → System → Container.
- Coordinate BMS, communication, control, auxiliary power, grounding, and bonding interfaces.
- Support integration with power electronics and external system interfaces.
- Identify and resolve electrical interconnect, wiring, insulation, grounding, communication, and BMS-related issues.
- Ensure compliance with electrical safety and HV assembly requirements.
- Support development of electrical work instructions, assembly standards, inspection criteria, and testing procedures.
Pilot Production Management
- Lead pilot-scale manufacturing activities and ensure pilot line readiness.
- Develop and optimize assembly sequences and production processes.
- Support pilot line setup, station design, material flow, and operator readiness.
- Develop standard work instructions and operating procedures.
- Drive cycle time reduction and throughput improvement.
- Support line balancing and manpower optimization.
- Improve first-pass yield and reduce scrap, rework, and process variation.
- Identify manufacturing bottlenecks and implement corrective actions.
- Ensure pilot processes are stable and repeatable before mass production transfer.
- Support production ramp-up for the 5 GWh / 6.25 GWh BESS manufacturing facility.
Issue Resolution & Root Cause Analysis
- Lead troubleshooting of prototype, pilot, mechanical, electrical, thermal, and manufacturing issues.
- Investigate failures related to mechanical fitment, electrical connections, thermal performance, assembly quality, and process variation.
- Conduct structured root cause analysis using tools such as:
- 5 Why Analysis
- Fishbone Diagram
- 8D Problem Solving
- FMEA
- Drive corrective and preventive actions with Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing teams.
- Track critical issues until permanent resolution and closure.
- Develop lessons learned from prototype and pilot builds.
Validation & Design Improvement
- Work closely with validation and reliability teams during prototype and pilot testing.
- Support functional, performance, safety, and reliability validation.
- Coordinate mechanical, electrical, thermal, and system-level validation activities.
- Support electrical safety testing, insulation resistance, continuity, grounding, and BMS functionality testing.
- Support mechanical durability, vibration, structural, and thermal performance assessments.
- Analyze validation failures and provide manufacturing and engineering feedback.
- Ensure prototype learnings are incorporated into product design improvements.
- Support engineering changes and product design releases.
Manufacturing Process Development
- Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering to develop scalable assembly processes.
- Support development of tooling, fixtures, jigs, and error-proofing solutions.
- Establish process controls and quality checkpoints.
- Develop manufacturing work instructions and standard operating procedures.
- Improve assembly ergonomics, material presentation, and workstation efficiency.
- Support automation and semi-automation opportunities where applicable.
- Ensure prototype and pilot processes are suitable for high-volume manufacturing.
- Drive improvements in yield, cycle time, productivity, and manufacturing efficiency.
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Work closely with Mechanical Design Engineering.
- Coordinate with Electrical and HV/LV Engineering teams.
- Partner with BMS and Controls Engineering teams.
- Collaborate with Thermal Management Engineering.
- Interface with Testing, Validation, Quality, and Reliability teams.
- Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations.
- Work with Supply Chain and Sourcing for prototype and pilot material availability.
- Support supplier issue resolution and component quality improvement.
- Participate in cross-functional design reviews and manufacturing readiness reviews.
Team & Program Management
- Lead and mentor prototype and pilot engineers, technicians, and build teams.
- Manage multiple prototype and pilot programs simultaneously.
- Develop build schedules and resource plans.
- Track program milestones, deliverables, and technical risks.
- Ensure effective communication between engineering and manufacturing functions.
- Escalate critical program, technical, quality, and manufacturing risks.
- Drive a strong culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronics Engineering
- Mechatronics Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Energy Systems
- Related Engineering Discipline
Experience
- 8–15+ years of relevant experience in BESS, lithium-ion batteries, EV, automotive, power electronics, renewable energy, or advanced manufacturing.
- Strong experience in prototype and pilot build management.
- Experience in battery pack, battery rack, or complete BESS system integration.
- Experience in mechanical and/or electrical manufacturing processes.
- Experience in transitioning products from prototype to pilot and mass production.
- Experience with large-format lithium-ion battery systems is highly preferred.
- Experience in LFP battery systems will be an added advantage.
Mandatory Technical Skills
- Prototype and pilot manufacturing processes.
- BESS and battery pack system integration.
- Mechanical and electrical assembly fundamentals.
- HV and LV system understanding.
- Manufacturing process development.
- Root cause and failure analysis.
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM).
- Design for Assembly (DFA).
- FMEA and structured problem-solving.
- Tooling and fixture development.
- Work instruction and SOP development.
- Pilot line setup and process stabilization.
Preferred Skills
- LFP-based BESS systems.
- BMS integration and communication systems.
- Thermal management and cooling systems.
- High-voltage electrical safety.
- Power electronics and PCS interface understanding.
- Process optimization and line balancing.
- Reliability and validation experience.
- Automated or semi-automated manufacturing.
- High-volume battery manufacturing and production ramp-up.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Prototype build cycle time.
- Prototype and pilot first-pass yield.
- Pilot production yield and throughput.
- Scrap and rework reduction.
- Issue resolution turnaround time.
- Design iteration efficiency.
- Assembly cycle time improvement.
- Process stability and repeatability.
- Manufacturing readiness for mass production.
- Successful pilot-to-production transfer.
- Achievement of 5 GWh / 6.25 GWh production ramp-up targets.
- Product robustness, quality, and manufacturability.
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