Manager, Supplier Industrialization Engineering - Powertrain Batteries

About the Team

The Supplier Industrialization Engineering (SIE) team serves as the bridge between product development and manufacturing execution, ensuring innovative battery technologies are successfully launched into scalable, high-volume production. Working closely with Battery Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supplier Quality, Global Supply Management, Program Management, and supplier partners worldwide, the team drives manufacturing readiness, quality maturity, launch execution, and sustained production performance.

The Battery Pack & Cells organization plays a critical role in bringing next-generation battery technologies to market by ensuring supplier manufacturing systems are capable, scalable, cost-effective, and aligned with Lucid's quality, safety, timing, and performance objectives.

About the Role

We are seeking a Manager, Supplier Industrialization Engineering, Battery Pack & Cells to lead supplier industrialization, manufacturing readiness, quality maturity, and launch execution across battery cells, battery packs, and critical battery subcomponents.

This highly visible leadership role owns industrialization strategy and execution from supplier nomination and product development through APQP, process validation, PPAP/LQP, Safe Launch, production ramp, and series production. You will lead a team of Supplier Industrialization Engineers while partnering cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and supplier partners to ensure successful launches and world-class manufacturing performance.

The ideal candidate combines deep battery manufacturing and supplier industrialization expertise with strong people leadership capabilities and a proven track record of delivering complex automotive programs in high-volume manufacturing environments.

What You'll Own

Battery Pack & Cell Industrialization Leadership

• Lead the Supplier Industrialization organization responsible for battery cells, battery packs, and critical battery subcomponents.
• Develop and execute supplier industrialization strategies for new products, suppliers, production lines, manufacturing expansions, and localization initiatives.
• Own APQP, PPAP, LQP, Production Sign-Off Approval (PSA), Run-at-Rate, Safe Launch, and production readiness execution.
• Ensure supplier industrialization engagement beginning at sourcing and concept phases through product launch and series production.
• Establish clear ownership, milestone management, deliverables, timing expectations, and escalation paths across all battery programs.

Supplier Manufacturing Readiness

• Evaluate and approve supplier manufacturing processes, automation systems, tooling, equipment, capacity models, facility layouts, traceability systems, and quality controls.
• Lead Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), Run-at-Rate validation, capacity assessments, process audits, and PPAP readiness reviews.
• Validate that manufacturing lines, equipment, and tooling are production-intent and capable of meeting defined product requirements.
• Ensure robust testing, traceability, reliability controls, screening methodologies, rework controls, and reaction plans are in place.
• Identify manufacturing risks early and implement mitigation plans to protect vehicle and battery-program milestones.

APQP, PPAP & Quality Maturity

• Drive disciplined execution of APQP deliverables including DFMEA, PFMEA, Process Flow Diagrams, Control Plans, MSA studies, capability analyses, and PPAP documentation.
• Ensure Critical-to-Quality features and Special Characteristics are translated into effective manufacturing and inspection controls.
• Establish measurable acceptance criteria for quality readiness and process capability.
• Ensure production approvals are supported by objective manufacturing evidence and demonstrated process performance.
• Lead supplier recovery activities when APQP, validation, tooling, or launch timing is at risk.

Battery Cell Industrialization

• Lead industrialization activities for battery-cell suppliers and manufacturing processes from development through mass production.
• Ensure cell manufacturing systems achieve safety, quality, reliability, traceability, capacity, cost, and production objectives.
• Support readiness of new cell chemistries, manufacturing technologies, battery factories, and process changes.
• Partner with Cell Engineering teams to translate product requirements into robust manufacturing controls.
• Drive corrective actions and continuous improvement for cell manufacturing and quality issues.

Battery Pack & Tier-2 Industrialization

• Lead industrialization of battery-pack manufacturing systems and critical Tier-2 suppliers.
• Ensure manufacturing maturity across assembly, joining, welding, thermal management systems, sealing, electrical interconnects, dispensing operations, traceability systems, testing processes, and End-of-Line validation.
• Drive Tier-2 APQP and PPAP readiness while ensuring alignment with pack-level launch milestones.
• Develop escalation and recovery plans when supplier readiness threatens program timing.

Supplier Quality & Problem Solving

• Lead containment, recovery, and escalation management activities for significant supplier manufacturing and quality issues.
• Drive structured problem-solving methodologies including:
  • 8D
  • 5 Why Analysis
  • Ishikawa (Fishbone)
  • Design of Experiments (DOE)
  • Statistical Analysis
• Establish risk-based supplier audit strategies and ensure corrective actions are validated for effectiveness prior to closure.
• Escalate systemic supplier risks affecting safety, quality, delivery, cost, capacity, or launch readiness.

Team & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Recruit, develop, mentor, and lead Battery Pack & Cell Supplier Industrialization Engineers.
• Establish commodity ownership, regional coverage models, knowledge-transfer plans, and succession strategies.
• Allocate resources based on supplier risk, technical complexity, launch timing, and business priorities.
• Partner closely with Battery Engineering, Global Supply Management, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Logistics, Reliability, Validation, Program Management, and vehicle engineering teams.
• Serve as the management-level escalation point for supplier industrialization activities.

Supplier Strategy, Capacity & Cost Optimization

• Support sourcing decisions through technical risk assessments, manufacturing feasibility reviews, and supplier capability evaluations.
• Partner with Engineering and Global Supply Management on supplier-selection strategies, localization initiatives, dual-source strategies, and manufacturing footprint decisions.
• Support cost optimization initiatives while maintaining quality, launch timing, and manufacturing robustness.
• Evaluate supplier capacity, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), cycle times, yields, scrap performance, bottlenecks, and scalability against program requirements.

What You'll Bring

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in Supplier Industrialization, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Battery Manufacturing, Automotive Manufacturing, or related industries.
• 3+ years of technical leadership and/or people management experience.
• Strong expertise in:
  • APQP
  • PPAP
  • PFMEA
  • Control Plans
  • MSA
  • SPC
  • Process Capability Studies
  • Run-at-Rate Validation
  • Structured Problem Solving
• Demonstrated experience launching new products and managing supplier readiness through production launch.
• Strong understanding of highly automated, high-volume manufacturing systems.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, specifications, manufacturing documentation, and process-performance data.
• Proven experience leading supplier escalations and cross-functional problem-solving activities.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with lithium-ion battery cells, prismatic cells, cylindrical cells, pouch cells, or high-voltage battery-pack manufacturing.
• Experience industrializing both battery-cell and battery-pack manufacturing systems.
• Strong understanding of battery-manufacturing processes and battery-quality control methodologies.
• Experience with:
  • Welding and joining processes
  • Adhesive and thermal-interface dispensing
  • Electrical interconnect assembly
  • Leak testing
  • End-of-Line testing
  • Automated assembly systems
  • Traceability systems
• Experience with:
  • IATF 16949
  • VDA 6.3
  • AIAG Core Tools
  • Automotive product-launch requirements
• Experience leading globally distributed teams and suppliers across North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Six Sigma Black Belt, Green Belt, or equivalent structured problem-solving certification.

Work Requirement

This role requires frequent engagement with battery suppliers and manufacturing facilities globally. Candidates must be comfortable operating across multiple time zones, cultures, and manufacturing environments.

Domestic and international travel is required to support supplier assessments, launch activities, manufacturing readiness reviews, production escalations, and continuous improvement initiatives.

 

 

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