By Em Jankauski
Seven year two BattChallengers have been hired at Stellantis. Give it up for Isabel Builes — a new project manager hire for Stellantis’ propulsion systems department and BattChallenge alum.
During her time in the competition, Builes served as project manager — since the BattChallenge’s inception in 2023 — for the Cal State LA & Cerritos College team. Let’s catch up with her in a Q&A.
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Q: How did being involved in the BattChallenge prepare you for your role at Stellantis?
A: “Being involved in the BattChallenge gave me hands-on experience with the technical aspects of battery packs, which has been directly applicable to my role at Stellantis.
“It also helped sharpen my management and teamwork skills, allowing me to approach complex challenges more effectively. The overall technical knowledge I gained has made it easier to contribute meaningfully from day one.”
Q: What made you want to work for Stellantis?
A: “I’ve always had a passion for cars, so working at a company like Stellantis, which is behind some of the most iconic and innovative vehicles on the market, was a natural fit. I admire the direction the company is taking, especially in electrification and sustainability, and being part of that journey is exciting.”
Q: What’s the coolest or most interesting part about working for Stellantis?
A: “The coolest part is getting to work with cutting-edge technology to help bring amazing cars to life. It’s also incredibly inspiring to collaborate with some of the smartest and most talented people in the automotive industry. There’s always something new to learn.”
Q: How does the work you’re doing at Stellantis impact our everyday lives?
A: “I focus on ensuring that our battery packs are safe and reliable for customers. This work is critical — not only does it ensure the safety of the vehicles we drive every day, but it also supports the transition to electric mobility.”
Q: What advice do you have for current BattChallengers?
A: “Network, network, and network. Technical knowledge is crucial, and of course, you must have it, but if you don’t push yourself to reach out to sponsors, make yourself known through your work, and interact with fellow BattChallengers and sponsors, you’ll be wasting a great opportunity to meet the person who could help you land your dream job.
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This is a seven-part series featuring the latest BattChallenge competition to Stellantis talent pipeline hires. All hires include:
- Mahmoud Al Akchar (McMaster University), high voltage charging control engineer
- Isabel Builes (Cal State LA), program manager
- Brian Castillo (Cal State LA), battery validation engineer
- David DeLisle (The Ohio State University), cell product engineer
- Jasper Halford (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology), power electronics design release engineer
- Julian Summers (University of Michigan-Dearborn), propulsion system emissions test engineer
- Chase Williams (University of California, Merced), validation engineer
“We hope most of all that when students come out of this competition, the Battery Workforce Challenge, is that they’re career ready. And what I mean by that is they enter into the workforce in a unique position: they’ve understood our tools, they’ve understood our vehicles, they’ve understood the technology,” said Micky Bly, Stellantis’ senior vice president of propulsion systems. “(The BattChallenge is a) training bed for them to be prepared to be day-one ready for engineering.”
