Autonomous Mobility Solutions Engineer

Ford Motor • Redford, MI

10d • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford's Advanced Industrial Technology and Platforms (ATP) organization develops and scales industrial platforms and technologies to transform manufacturing. Within ATP, FORGE develops end-to-end autonomous mobility applications for movement, assist, and manipulation. The Autonomous Mobility Solutions Engineer develops and validates solutions, evaluates autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from original equipment manufacturers against Ford requirements, conducts software and hardware conformance testing, and supports deployments through go-live. The role works with MP&L, Manufacturing Engineering, plant operations, and robotics suppliers to ensure solutions meet plant needs and can be replicated across sites.

The engineer assesses AMR feasibility and model fit for factory and warehouse applications, defines technical requirements and supplier acceptance criteria, and verifies hardware safety, software interoperability, and cybersecurity. The role plans and executes validation, confirms go-live readiness, supports plant-floor commissioning and production launches, and troubleshoots issues across routing, traffic flow, fleet software, networks, and equipment. It also coordinates cross-functional and supplier integration, supports integration with plant systems and safety devices, and promotes replication through simulation, digital twins, and post-launch performance monitoring.

This is a hybrid position requiring onsite work four or more days per week, with travel of 5–10% to plants in the United States, Canada, and Mexico as required. Salary grade 7–8; the stated salary range is $86,600–$166,200. Visa sponsorship is available. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, robotics, industrial automation, manufacturing, or a related field.
• 3–5+ years of experience in logistics automation, technological feasibility mapping, manufacturing systems, or equipment validation and launch.
• Familiarity with ANSI/RIA R15.08, ISO 3691-4, UL 3100, and the VDA 5050 communication standard.
• Hands-on familiarity with industrial networking, MQTT protocols, TCP/IP architectures, and PLC communications.
• Working understanding of autonomous mobility systems, including navigation, localization, fleet management, and traffic orchestration, sufficient to validate behavior and troubleshoot.
• Experience validating or launching automated equipment in a production environment, including test planning and execution.
• Plant-floor troubleshooting ability, including reading logs, isolating faults across system boundaries, and distinguishing a defect from a test artifact.
• Ability and willingness to travel 5–10% to plants in the United States, Canada, and Mexico as required.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Experience deploying autonomous mobility or material-handling systems in high-volume manufacturing.
• Competency with ROS/ROS2, Linux environments, and Python/C++.
• Familiarity with plant logistics, including PFEP, MHE, kitting, line-side delivery, and route design.
• Familiarity with ISO 3691-4, ANSI/RIA R15.08, ISO 13849, and VDA 5050.
• Familiarity with Ford GVOSS, GME-707, GPDS, safety, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Exposure to autonomous or driverless programs and shared-floor automated traffic.
• Experience with virtual commissioning, PLC safety, or industrial networking.
• Experience with reporting tools such as Power BI or analysis using Python or SQL.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate technical feasibility of prospective AMR models for factory and warehouse applications, including cross-docking, line-side delivery, and heavy pallet movement.
• Assess how OEM specifications, such as kinematics, turning radius, and navigation style, match operational facility constraints.
• Prepare engineering trade-off matrices comparing technology stacks, such as SLAM versus QR-code navigation and inductive versus opportunity charging.
• Define technical requirements and statements of work, and hold suppliers accountable to acceptance criteria.
• Enforce hardware safety requirements and verify conformance with applicable standards and certifications.
• Verify software interoperability and audit fleet compliance with open communication protocols and multi-vendor interoperability standards.
• Audit fleet software cybersecurity benchmarks and prepare evidence packages for Plant Safety and Cybersecurity approval boards.
• Execute validation plans for normal operations, degraded conditions, and failure scenarios, and document results.
• Validate localization maps, routes, parameters, fleet software integration, and safety functions for go-live readiness.
• Support plant-floor commissioning, physical optimization, and production launch.
• Troubleshoot faults in routing, traffic flow, fleet software, network connectivity, and equipment, and identify root causes.
• Partner with MP&L to translate material-flow needs, including line-side delivery, kitting, small-lot routes, and rack movement, into practical deployments.
• Coordinate floor readiness and layout with Manufacturing Engineering, IT, plant operations, UAW representation, and production teams.
• Manage supplier integration, acceptance testing, and resolution of open issues.
• Support integration with plant execution systems, industrial networks, PLCs, and safety devices.
• Use simulation and digital twins to support replication and pre-deployment verification.
• Monitor post-launch availability, throughput, and downtime metrics and apply lessons to future sites.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized back-up child care.
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments.
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members, and management leases.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.

What This Job Offers

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