Fabrication Operations Manager Jobs in Rochester, MI

Job Description
At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We're turning today's impossible into tomorrow's standard -from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features.
Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.
The Role
In this role, the successful candidate will contribute to R&D initiatives within GM's Battery Product and Process operation team, with a focus on the mixing, coating, calendering, and cell assembly operational process and cross-functionally helping the team to advance next-generation technologies in battery chemistry, cell architecture, and system integration. This role independently plans and executes day-to-day experimental and process work, identifies and resolves non-routine issues, and partners with engineers and scientists to translate lab research into scalable manufacturing processes. This includes learning, owning, and continuously improving the full cell fabrication process.
What You'll Do (Responsibilities):

• Lead hands-on R&D execution to support GM's Battery Process and product development team, independently planning and prioritizing daily work within defined project objectives.
• Operate, monitor, and optimize cell fabrication processes for battery development including mixing, coating, calendaring, and cell assembly with limited supervision.
• Help translate lab-scale research into scalable manufacturing processes, providing technical input on process windows, critical parameters, and manufacturability constraints.
• Prepare materials, build cells, and collect, analyze, and summarize data; recommend next steps to engineers and scientists based on findings.
• Contribute to advancing next-generation battery chemistries, cell architectures, and system integration by proposing practical process and tooling improvements.

Safety, Quality, and Compliance

• Follow all corporate and site safety standards (e.g., g-Risk, g-Comply, PTP, Lockout/Tagout, chemical management).
• Use and maintain proper PPE; handle chemicals and materials safely in both aqueous and non-aqueous environments.
• Keep work areas clean, organized, and compliant with EHS guidelines; identify and escalate potential safety or environmental risks.

Mixing and Slurry Preparation

• Prepare aqueous and non-aqueous slurries to specified recipes, compositions, and viscosity targets, including independent adjustments within defined limits to achieve quality requirements.
• Accurately weigh and measure raw materials; maintain complete and accurate batch records and lot traceability.
• Operate mixing equipment, monitor key process parameters, and report and help resolve any issues or deviations from standard performance.

Coating and Electrode Processing

• Set up and operate coating equipment (slot die, doctor blade, reverse/back coating, or similar) and independently adjust process parameters to meet thickness, uniformity, and quality requirements.
• Inspect coated substrates, diagnose defects or process abnormalities (e.g., streaks, pinholes, edge defects), and drive first-level root cause investigation and corrective actions.
• Support calendaring, drying, and cutting operations, ensuring alignment to specifications and documenting any process changes.

Cell Fabrication and Testing

• Support full cell fabrication steps, including cutting, calendaring, drying, assembly, and sealing for coin cells and other cell formats.
• Build coin cells and other formats following written procedures, and recommend procedure updates where recurring issues are observed.
• Use lab instruments to measure thickness, weight, viscosity, and other key properties; ensure data integrity and repeatability.
• Execute test procedures, record data, and share results with engineers and scientists; identify trends and anomalies and propose follow-up experiments.

Equipment Ownership and Maintenance

• Perform routine and preventive maintenance on mixing, coating, and cell fabrication equipment; own maintenance schedules and coordinate with Maintenance and Engineering as needed.
• Complete pre-task diagnostics, checklists, and basic troubleshooting for process and equipment issues; independently resolve typical problems and escalate complex issues with clear documentation.
• Maintain logs and databases related to equipment operation, maintenance, downtime, and process deviations.

Documentation, Procedures, and Continuous Improvement

• Document work in lab notebooks, electronic logs, and databases accurately and on time; ensure records are complete enough to support repeatability and audits.
• Help write or update standard operating procedures (SOPs), test methods, and work instructions based on hands-on learning and continuous improvement.
• Communicate status, issues, risks, and findings clearly with supervisors and project teams, including recommended actions or mitigations.
• Work both independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team; coordinate with engineers, scientists, and other technicians to balance priorities across multiple projects.
• Participate in problem-solving and continuous improvement activities (e.g., root cause analysis, DOEs, kaizen events), and proactively suggest process, safety, and quality improvements.
• Learn new tools, techniques, and processes as technologies evolve and support small-scale pilots and technology transfer to manufacturing.
• Provide informal guidance and on-the-job training to less-experienced technicians on equipment operation, safety practices, and best-known methods.

Yours Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications):

• Associate degree in a Science or Engineering discipline (e.g., Chemical Technology, Materials, Mechanical, Manufacturing) and typically 3+ years of relevant hands-on experience in a lab, pilot plant, or manufacturing environment working with chemicals, coatings, or materials;
  OR bachelor's degree in a related Science or Engineering field and typically 1-3+ years of relevant experience.
• Prior experience independently operating complex process equipment and running experiments or trials under limited supervision is strongly preferred.
• Experience contributing to process improvements (e.g., reducing defects, improving yield, or increasing throughput) through data-driven problem solving.
• Working knowledge of laboratory tools and characterization equipment (balances, viscometers, microscopes, thickness gauges, profilometers, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to follow detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and test methods, and to suggest updates when improvements are identified.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot equipment and process issues, perform basic root cause analysis, and implement or recommend corrective actions.
• Ability to work in an export-controlled environment.
• Willingness to travel periodically for training or on-site technology transfer, as required.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, and compliance in all activities.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with engineers, scientists, operators, and other technicians, including those at different levels.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills, attention to detail, organization, and data accuracy.
• Openness to continuous learning and improvement in a fast-paced R&D and scale-up environment; comfortable working under general supervision with limited day-to-day direction.

What Can Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications):

• Solid understanding of chemical/material systems (mixing, dispersion, viscosity, drying) and how process parameters impact coating and cell performance.
• Hands-on experience preparing aqueous and/or non-aqueous mixtures or slurries to target compositions and viscosities, including making parameter adjustments within defined limits to achieve targets.
• Experience operating coating or similar process equipment (slot die, doctor blade, back/reverse coating) and optimizing settings to meet quality and throughput goals.
• Familiarity with coin cell or other battery cell fabrication processes (e.g., electrode preparation, cell stacking/winding, electrolyte filling, formation) is strongly preferred.

#LI-KE2
GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).This role is categorized as onsite. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location on a full-time basis.The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role.This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be either a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee) or a non-U.S. Person who is eligible to obtain any required export control authorization.
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