We are seeking a Product Cybersecurity Manager with deep technical expertise in firmware, hardware, and penetration testing. In this role, you will implement, validate, and optimize security controls across the entire lifecycle of our BESS portfolio. You will support immediate product security initiatives—ensuring robust defense-in-depth from early-stage hardware development through deployment—and serve as the senior technical security lead for our BESS product portfolio.
What you'll do...
- End-to-End Security Architecture & Engineering
- Lifecycle Integration: Lead and integrate cybersecurity engineering across the entire battery storage system lifecycle, including design, manufacturing, deployment, operations, and decommissioning.
- Hardware & Firmware Hardening: Define, implement, and audit security controls at the silicon, microcontroller, and firmware levels, including secure boot, cryptographic key management, secure storage, and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs).
- Technical Innovation: Develop solutions to unusually complex cyber-physical security problems that require a high degree of ingenuity and creativity. Establish engineering precedents and design patterns that will serve as the template for future product lines and support the long-term reputation of the organization.
- Threat Modeling & Offensive Security Validation
- Cyber-Physical Threat Modeling: Lead threat modeling (e.g., STRIDE) and risk assessments to resolve highly ambiguous, large-scale technical challenges across battery management systems (BMS), power conversion systems (PCS), and overall BESS architectures. Develop novel, high-performance, and resilient security frameworks under extreme hardware and operational constraints.
- Active Penetration Testing: Plan, coordinate, and execute hands-on penetration testing and vulnerability assessments on embedded hardware, firmware, and communication protocols (e.g., Modbus, CAN, DNP3, and TCP/IP).
- Governance, Compliance & Incident Management
- Standards & Framework Alignment: Align product engineering processes and security controls with relevant industry standards and frameworks (e.g., IEC 62443, ISO 21434, UL 2900, and NIST SP 800-82).
- Project Risk Governance: Establish and manage cybersecurity work packages, compile risk registers, and represent cybersecurity requirements in stage-gate reviews and engineering boards.
- Incident Response Operations: Develop and support security incident response playbooks for fielded BESS assets, and manage coordinated vulnerability disclosure for discovered firmware/hardware bugs.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration & Technical Leadership
- Consensus Building: Drive technical security direction and best practices across multiple engineering teams (hardware, firmware, cloud, and systems), building architectural consensus for end-to-end product security.
- Talent Mentorship: Actively mentor and guide peers to elevate the collective technical cybersecurity capabilities of the organization.
You'll have... Required
- Experience: A minimum of 5–7 years of experience in Embedded Systems Security, Product Cybersecurity, or Security Engineering, with a proven track record in a product lead or senior technical capacity.
- Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related technical field.
- Hardware & Firmware Security: Expert-level proficiency in secure coding practices (C/C++ or Rust), hardware architectures, secure boot, JTAG debugging protection, and cryptographic implementations.
- Penetration Testing: Strong hands-on experience performing penetration testing on physical hardware interfaces (e.g., UART, JTAG, SPI, and I2C) and industrial/automotive network protocols (e.g., CAN, Modbus, and DNP3).
- Threat Modeling & Risk Assessment: Demonstrated experience conducting threat modeling and risk assessments for complex cyber-physical or industrial control systems (ICS).
- Standards & Regulations: Deep familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks and standards relevant to embedded systems and critical infrastructure (e.g., IEC 62443, ISO 21434, or UL 2900).
Even better, you may have... Preferred
- Experience in Renewable Energy, Automotive (EV/BMS), or Semiconductor industries.
- Proven ability to serve as a prime consultant and spokesperson on advanced cybersecurity initiatives, act as a trusted advisor to senior management on long-range security roadmaps, and communicate complex technical risks clearly to executive leadership and board members.
- Familiarity with export control regulations and international intellectual property protection.
- Relevant industry certifications such as CISSP, CSSLP, CEH, GPEN, GICSP, or OSCP.
Leadership Attributes
- Visionary Strategic Thinker: Able to navigate rapidly evolving global energy storage markets and emerging cyber threat landscapes.
- Collaborative Leader: Highly skilled at building consensus across multi-disciplinary engineering domains and translating complex technical security objectives into actionable engineering milestones.
Location & Travel
- Location: Dearborn, MI. This position is hybrid-friendly for candidates with a proven ability to deliver results in a flexible environment.
- Travel Expectations: Occasional travel may be required to support system deployments or vendor onsite sessions.
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!
As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
- Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
- Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
- Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
- Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
- Tuition assistance
- Established and active employee resource groups
- Paid time off for individual and team community service
- A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
- Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.
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/LL6
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.
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.
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.
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