Automation & Controls Engineering Supervisor

Ford Motor Company • Dearborn, MI

1d • $115,500 - $218,100 • Hybrid

About The Position

As a senior technical and people leader, you will guide teams and strategic initiatives supporting Vehicle Operations and Powertrain Manufacturing Engineering while partnering across Manufacturing, IT, Product Development, Research and Advanced Engineering, and supplier organizations. Your leadership will help define how Ford designs, validates, deploys, and continuously improves automation and controls solutions across a complex global manufacturing footprint. This position offers the opportunity to influence the controls engineering agenda for next-generation manufacturing. The successful candidate will lead high-value initiatives tied to uptime, quality, throughput, launch readiness, safety, data enablement, and Zero Fault Forward capability—bringing clarity, discipline, and technical judgment to the systems that keep production moving.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant controls engineering experience, with demonstrated ability to lead complex technical work.
• Strong project management, organizational, communication, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Hands-on expertise troubleshooting PLC, robot, vision, network, and broader automation systems.
• Knowledge of industrial automation programming principles, including Schneider, Bosch, Siemens, and Rockwell platforms.
• Experience with networking, communication protocols, fieldbus architectures, and IT standard applications.
• Knowledge of RFID systems, complexity management, scheduling, and quality-of-service strategies.
• Familiarity with international electrical and safety standards, including UL, ISO, IEC, risk assessments, PSS, and integrated safety processes.
• Ability to interpret electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic prints and connect design decisions to plant-floor outcomes.
• Experience supporting programs from cost study through launch, including GPDS deliverables and manufacturing readiness.
• Ability to travel up to 40% domestically and internationally, including Canada and Mexico.

Responsibilities

• Drive accountable controls delivery of Powertrain and Final Assembly programs, ensuring disciplined execution across scope, timing, cost, quality, supplier performance, risk resolution, manufacturing readiness, and launch.
• Set direction for strategic controls engineering priorities that improve manufacturing execution, operational reliability, and technical readiness.
• Partner with manufacturing leaders to uncover systemic opportunities, resolve complex issues, and deliver practical, scalable solutions.
• Champion advanced automation, error proofing, data integration, connected manufacturing, and supplier capability development.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing technical team while building durable knowledge systems, standards, and lessons learned.
• Translate field experience into stronger specifications, smarter launches, and more resilient manufacturing systems.
• The supervisor is accountable for disciplined end-to-end program delivery—driving scope, timing, cost, quality, supplier performance, risk resolution, and launch readiness—and will help establish and sustain the controls engineering playbook, including standards, lessons learned, useful-life matrix inputs, SME-based training, Basket of Goods cost information, component selection, deviation management, IT systems integration standards, and risk assessment questionnaires.
• The role also provides leadership across cycle line and facilities layout reviews, controls design reviews, machinery safety risk assessments, tool buy-off and build follow-up, common programming practices, safety requirements, Protag reviews, troubleshooting and fault analysis, FIS and IIoT data direction, throughput and constraint analysis, Andon functionality, PLC logic, station numbering, and downtime issue resolution.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager