Product Manager

The Associate Product Manager within the Cell Development Team plays a critical role in driving the technical execution of advanced cell, battery, and electrochemical system development programs. This position partners closely with mechanical, chemical, electrical, and manufacturing engineers to ensure that new cell technologies progress through design, validation, and manufacturability milestones with rigor and discipline. The Associate Product Manager applies engineering-based program management, DFMA principles, and structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D to support high-quality, scalable product development. This role is ideal for early-career engineers seeking to deepen their technical leadership capabilities within a fast-paced R&D environment.

• Drive engineering-focused project execution across multiple concurrent cell development programs, ensuring alignment of technical deliverables, design milestones, and validation activities.
• Collaborate directly with engineering teams to define, document, and maintain technical requirements, specifications, and acceptance criteria for new cell designs and subsystems.
• Lead and support structured problem-solving efforts, including 8D, root-cause analysis, containment actions, and long-term corrective actions to resolve technical issues impacting performance, safety, or manufacturability.
• Champion Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) by working with design and manufacturing engineers to evaluate design concepts, identify manufacturability risks, and ensure smooth transition from prototype to scaled production.
• Analyze engineering data, test results, and design changes to assess impacts on schedule, cost, performance, and downstream manufacturing processes.
• Identify and track technical risks, dependencies, and integration challenges; escalate critical issues with clear engineering context and recommended mitigation paths.
• Maintain engineering-driven project artifacts, including technical dashboards, design maturity trackers, validation matrices, and risk registers using Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, and related PMO tools.
• Coordinate technical design reviews, DFMEA/PFMEA discussions, and cross-functional engineering checkpoints, ensuring actions are captured, assigned, and closed with measurable outcomes.
• Support scope and change management by evaluating proposed design modifications, documenting technical implications, and ensuring alignment with engineering leads.
• Facilitate communication across engineering, operations, quality, and manufacturing teams to maintain clarity on technical priorities, design intent, and integration strategies.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 1–3 years of experience in engineering, technical project coordination, or program support within a product development or R&D environment.
• Ability to interpret engineering documentation, test data, and technical requirements.
• Experience supporting hardware development, validation, or manufacturing readiness activities.
• Experience with DFMA principles and their application in hardware or component development.
• Familiarity with 8D problem-solving or similar structured root-cause methodologies.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and coordination skills with the ability to drive accountability across technical teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic engineering environment with shifting technical requirements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools; experience with Microsoft Project preferred.

• Foundational understanding of lithium-ion batteries, electrochemical systems, electronics, or related hardware components.

Fast-paced engineering and R&D environment with frequent interaction across mechanical, chemical, electrical, and manufacturing engineering teams. Work performed primarily in a temperature-controlled office and laboratory setting. Requires adaptability to shifting technical requirements and evolving development priorities.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Ann Arbor, MI.

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $39.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Ann Arbor,MI.

This position is anticipated to close on Feb 11, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

Salary : $30 - $39