Ford Racing Brake Hardware Development Engineer

Ford Motor • Allen Park, MI

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Join the Ford Racing Performance Car & Truck Team to develop foundation brakes across Ford Racing’s vehicle portfolio. The engineer owns brake performance development, serves as the brake pedal feel subject matter expert, and leads tuning, testing, problem resolution, and launch sign-off. This safety-critical role applies engineering judgment and directs testing resources to meet FMVSS, ECE, quality, timing, cost, and customer satisfaction objectives. The position also supports warranty and field investigations, technical specialists, Total Value Management, vehicle launches, and annual brake engineering business planning.

The role oversees vehicle-level development and validation, coordinates testing resources and purchased services, and works with component design and release engineers on friction material, rotor, caliper, and actuation design. It involves communicating technical status, risks, and mitigation plans to engineering teams and senior leadership.

The position is hybrid and requires onsite work four or more days per week. Ford lists two possible salary grades: grade 7 ($86,600–$144,900) and grade 8 ($99,100–$166,200); final grade and salary depend on candidate skills, experience, and role scope. Visa sponsorship is unavailable, and candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
• Understanding of vehicle development, validation, engineering release, and safety and regulatory requirements.
• Ability to interpret physical test data and apply engineering judgment to complex issues.
• Ability to manage priorities across programs while balancing quality, cost, timing, and performance.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work as an independent self-starter and connect analysis with hardware and vehicle performance.

Nice To Haves

• Brake system experience, including foundation brakes, performance, pedal feel, vehicle dynamics, testing, launch, and D&R activities.
• Experience tuning and evaluating pedal feel, flashing EBB units, debugging DTCs, and creating Driver Brake Request tables.
• Experience evaluating high- and low-frequency vehicle NVH.
• Familiarity with CAD or visualization tools and GPDS program delivery processes.
• Passion for performance vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Oversee vehicle-level DVPs for forward-model programs, quality actions, TVM actions, and other projects.
• Establish and defend TPV and DCV prototype counts to support milestone delivery.
• Manage Link Engineering resources, technical priorities, and workloads across programs to reduce testing costs and improve Ford/Link team efficiency.
• Lead vehicle-level brake development, validation, and engineering sign-off using FEDE DV tools, ensuring compliance with FMVSS, ECE, and Ford requirements.
• Serve as Ford Racing’s brake pedal feel subject matter expert; lead friction material selection and work with component D&R engineers on rotor, caliper, and actuation design.
• Direct vehicle testing strategies and oversee purchased-services testing personnel.
• Interpret test results and lead cross-functional investigations into brake performance, customer attributes, compliance, quality, durability, and launch concerns.
• Drive TDC and PEC milestones, launch readiness, quality objectives, and customer satisfaction.
• Support warranty taskforces, field investigations, Technical Specialist requests, and brake-related corrective actions.
• Develop annual brake engineering budgets and forecasts; communicate technical status, risks, and mitigation plans to engineering and senior leadership.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, 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.
• Established and active employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• 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