Lead-Technical (BESS)

Role Mandate

The BESS Product & Engineering Lead owns the product definition, engineering spine, and commercial-technical translation of the BU-converting cell technology, system architecture, and integration choices into a competitive product portfolio, a defensible cost envelope, and risk-balanced commercial terms.This role is the BU's internal technical authority for BESS product and technology. It works in close partnership with the Lead Procurement - China Sourcing: sourcing owns supplier discovery, day-to-day supplier management, and execution; this role owns what we buy, why, against what specs, and on what commercial-technical terms.Define BESS product specifications, cost envelopes, and technology tie-upsShape product portfolio evolution-cell format and sizing trajectory, chemistry roadmap, and the 12 / 24 / 36-month product viewOwn system architecture and integration across BMS, PCS, EMS, thermal, and safety sub-systemsStructure LTAs, warranty clauses, back-to-back terms, and the claim playbook-partnering with Procurement, Commercial, Finance, and LegalGovern the technical interface with 3rd party manufacturing vendors to ensure product fidelity at scaleUse deep exposure to Indian tender requirements as an input to product design-so the catalog is tender-fit by construction, not retro-fit per bid

Key Responsibilities

• BESS Product Specifications, Cost Envelope & Technology Tie-upsDefine and maintain the standard BESS product catalog-container-level specs (capacity, C-rate, round-trip efficiency, augmentation logic, operating window, safety class) tuned for Indian site and duty-cycle conditionsSet and defend cost envelopes ( /kWh at system level) for each product variant; identify design levers to close cost gaps vs market benchmarksLead technology tie-ups and joint-development engagements with cell, PCS, BMS, and EMS partners-defining scope, deliverables, IP boundaries, and technical milestonesProvide the China Sourcing Lead with the technical scaffolding-specs, compliance matrices, acceptance criteria, and qualification evidence-so supplier nomination is grounded in engineering reality2) Product Portfolio Evolution, Market View & CompetitivenessOwn the 12 / 24 / 36-month product evolution view-what the standard BESS container should look like now vs in 2026 vs in 2027 across capacity, cell format, chemistry, integration stack, and safety architectureTrack the cell format and sizing trajectory (e.g., 280Ah 314Ah larger prismatic formats, stacked vs wound, long-cell formats) and decide when to ride each wave vs hold-balancing cost-per-kWh, maturity, supply depth, and warranty exposureMaintain a structured competitive view of the BESS product landscape: how domestic integrators, Chinese OEMs, and global EPCs are positioning on specs, price, reliability, and bankability-publish a refresh at a defined cadenceIdentify whitespace and inflection points (product variants, feature additions, architecture shifts) that unlock new segments or widen our cost-per-kWh advantageUse exposure to Indian tender requirements (SECI, NTPC, state utilities, C&I tenders; CEA connectivity norms; BIS/IS standards; fire and safety codes; ALMM/DCR evolution) as a design input so the catalog is pre-compliant-reducing bid-stage redesign and clarification load3) System Architecture & Integration (BMS / PCS / EMS)Own the reference system architecture for standard and custom BESS offerings-module/rack/container sizing, electrical single-line topology, thermal management strategy, fire detection and suppression, and controls hierarchyDefine integration standards and interface control documents (ICDs) for BMS, PCS, and EMS-communication protocols, state-of-charge logic, fault handling, safety interlocks, and cyber-hardening baselineDrive modular, platform-based design so the same core architecture scales across capacity variants and duty cycles-reducing engineering cycle time for repeat bidsPartner with CTO, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality to ensure architecture choices are manufacturable, yield-friendly, and compatible with traceability and PFMEA disciplineSign off on integration test plans, FAT/SAT protocols, and performance validation evidence before deployment4) Cell Trajectory & Technology LandscapeMaintain a living view of the cell technology landscape-LFP generations, cell format evolution (prismatic / large-format / stacked vs wound), safety feature roadmaps, and emerging alternatives (sodium-ion, LMFP, solid-state) with credible timelinesTrack cost curves, capacity announcements, and supply-demand dynamics across the global cell market; flag inflection points that shift our product roadmap or cost envelopePublish a cell selection rationale for each product generation-tying chemistry, format, and supplier tier to duty cycle, warranty exposure, and cost-per-kWhDefine cell qualification protocols (performance, cycling, abuse, thermal) and review qualification evidence before any new cell enters the catalogTranslate degradation and augmentation physics into defensible product-level performance commitments that flow into warranties and customer guarantees5) LTAs, Warranty Structuring & Claim PlaybookPartner with Procurement to structure Long-Term Agreements with key cell and critical sub-system suppliers-owning the technical-commercial logic: pricing protections, indexation formulas, FX risk structure, delivery safeguards (lead times, penalties, buffer strategy), audit rights, and change-notification requirementsDecode supplier warranty structures-throughput warranties, degradation caps, cycle/calendar assumptions, operating-window limits, exclusions, and claim evidence requirements-and translate them into product-level commercial exposureDraft and maintain the standard warranty clause library for the BU; ensure back-to-back alignment between supplier warranties and customer commitments across hardware supply, EPC performance guarantees, and O&M SLAs-working jointly with Commercial, Finance, Legal, and OMSQuantify degradation and augmentation assumptions into reserves and contract guardrails; feed provisioning and pricing discussions with defensible technical inputsBuild and own the claim playbook: evidence requirements, data-log standards, traceability, test-record retention, RCA governance, and escalation paths-so claims are won on substance, not correspondence6) 3rd Party Manufacturing Vendors - Technical Support & GovernanceAct as the BU's technical interface for 3rd party manufacturing / contract integration vendors-transferring the product design package (drawings, BOMs, process notes, test standards) and ensuring build fidelityDefine the vendor technical qualification framework: line readiness, process controls, test infrastructure, traceability systems, and workmanship standardsGovern engineering change control (ECN) across external build partners-no silent deviations; every change reviewed for product, safety, warranty, and tender-compliance impactLead design-for-manufacturing (DFM) and design-for-assembly (DFA) reviews with vendors; close gaps that threaten yield, cost, or field reliabilitySupport quality and operations teams on incoming inspection criteria, NPI ramps, first-article approvals, and field-failure RCA loopbacks into design7) Cross-Functional & External InterfacesWork closely with the Lead Procurement - China Sourcing: sourcing owns supplier discovery, engagement, and execution; this role owns specs, qualification, commercial-technical structuring (LTAs, warranties), and product-level risk translationPartner with CTO, Commercial, Bid Desk, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, Legal, and O&M / Asset Management to ensure product and contract decisions stay coherent end-to-endRepresent the product in customer technical discussions, lender / IE (Independent Engineer) reviews, and tender clarification rounds-articulating architecture, safety, reliability, warranty logic, and bankability

Candidate Profile

Experience & Background8-12+ years in BESS, lithium-ion battery systems, EV battery packs, or adjacent power-electronics / grid-scale storage domainsProven experience in BESS product definition, system architecture, or integration engineering-with demonstrated commercial-technical exposure (LTAs, warranties, supplier structuring), not purely R&D or purely sourcingHands-on exposure to Indian BESS tender technical requirements (SECI, NTPC, state utilities, C&I; CEA norms; BIS/IS standards; fire and safety codes; ALMM/DCR context)-used here as an input to product design, not as a bid-management roleExperience working with Chinese / global cell and sub-system OEMs, including design collaboration, qualification, and LTA / warranty negotiationPrior involvement in utility-scale / EPC storage deployments is strongly preferredEducationB.E. / B.Tech in Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Chemical, or Energy EngineeringPostgraduate specialization in Energy Systems, Power Electronics, or Electrochemistry preferred