Staff Architect, Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Description

Staff Architect, Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

The Team

The Energy Storage Engineering organization at GM is focused on extending the company's battery and systems expertise to stationary energy storage applications. The work sits at the intersection of advanced technology, system design, and new market opportunities. For candidates who are energized by early-stage innovation and visible impact, this team offers the chance to tackle complex engineering challenges, influence foundational decisions, and help define a growing area of the business.

The Role

The Staff Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Architect will lead the development of BESS products from concept through launch. This is a highly visible role for an engineer who enjoys owning technical direction, shaping system architecture, and aligning cross-functional teams to deliver robust, launch-ready products.

In this position, you will define system architecture, drive key technical decisions, and help translate product concepts into executable development plans. You will play a key role in ensuring products deliver against performance, cost, safety, reliability, manufacturability, and timing targets while helping build the foundation for GM’s growing battery energy storage portfolio.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the development of BESS products from concept through launch.

• Translate product concepts into system requirements, architectures, and executable development plans.

• Own system architecture and integration across cells, modules, structures, thermal management, sensing, bussing, electronics, power conversion interfaces, and safety systems.

• Drive technical tradeoff studies and engineering decisions that balance performance, cost, safety, reliability, manufacturability, and program timing.

• Work closely with cross-functional partners across systems, manufacturing, validation, supply chain, quality, and program management to ensure products are launch-ready for quality, cost, and throughput targets.

• Guide designs through development gates with strong technical rigor and clear evidence that requirements have been achieved.

• Serve as the program’s primary technical interface to leadership.

• Identify technical risks early, develop mitigation plans, and lead issue resolution to keep programs on track.

• Benchmark BESS products and relevant adjacent industries to identify opportunities in architecture, technology, and development approach.

• Help define and improve BESS engineering processes, tools, standards, and templates to support future program growth.

• Mentor and develop technical talent across the organization.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• Proven success leading technical development of battery energy storage systems, battery packs, or related electrified products

• Strong understanding of BESS subsystems, including cells, modules, structures, thermal management, sensing, bussing, battery management systems, controls, power conversion interfaces, and safety systems

• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute system-level technical strategies

• Strong communication skills with the ability to distill complex technical topics for leadership and cross-functional decision-making

• Experience creating robust and executable product development processes and templates

• Proven ability to mentor and develop technical experts

• Demonstrated data-driven decision-making grounded in first principles

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering

• 7+ years of product engineering experience

What will give you a competitive edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Strong experience owning development of complex products and assemblies through concept, design maturation, prototyping, and production

• Deep understanding of BESS design, integration, and market requirements

• Knowledge of relevant BESS codes, standards, and certification frameworks

• Understanding of competitive BESS products, market trends, and emerging technologies

• Experience supporting launch, issue resolution, and product refinement in early production

• Master of Science in Engineering or a related technical field

• Experience developing energy storage products, battery systems, battery packs, or related electrified products

Compensation: The compensation information is a good faith estimate only. It is based on what a successful applicant might be paid in accordance with applicable state laws. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position, as well as geography of the selected candidate.

• The salary range for this role is $134,700 - $207,600. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position.

• Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.

• Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

Company Vehicle: Upon successful completion of a motor vehicle report review, you will be eligible to participate in a company vehicle evaluation program, through which you will be assigned a General Motors vehicle to drive and evaluate. Note: program participants are required to purchase/lease a qualifying GM vehicle every four years unless one of a limited number of exceptions applies.

This role is based remotely, but if the selected candidate lives within a specific mile radius of a GM hub, they will be expected to report to the location three times a week {or other frequency dictated by your manager}.

This job may be eligible for relocation benefits.

About GM

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Why Join Us 

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

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Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

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All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws. 

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

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