Director, Electrical Systems & Integration

Blue Bird Careers•Troy, MI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is a technology leader and innovator of school buses since 1927, focusing on safety, reliability, and durability. The company is a proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses. The Director, Electrical Systems & Integration is responsible for the strategy, architecture, integration, and execution of vehicle electrical and electromechanical systems across complex vehicle platforms. This role serves as the executive technical leader for high-voltage systems, low-voltage architecture, propulsion electronics, controls integration, electrical distribution, vehicle communication networks, and electromechanical subsystem integration from concept through production launch and field support. The position requires leading cross-functional engineering execution, establishing scalable engineering structures, technical standards, integration strategies, and organizational capability. This is a high-accountability technical leadership position focused on electrical architecture and systems integration strategy for next-generation vehicle platforms.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Mechatronics
10+ years of electrical engineering experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, electrification, controls, or complex vehicle systems engineering environments
7+ years of leadership experience managing engineering teams, technical organizations, or large-scale integration efforts
Deep understanding of vehicle electrical architecture, controls integration, and electromechanical systems
Strong knowledge of HV systems, battery systems, power electronics, charging systems, and vehicle communication networks
Strong systems thinking and ability to balance technical trade-offs across competing priorities
Experience leading electrical integration across propulsion, software, controls, manufacturing, and vehicle platform teams
Strong understanding of CAN, LIN, Automotive Ethernet, diagnostics, and vehicle network architecture
Experience supporting vehicle programs from concept through launch and field support
Strong understanding of DV/PV, DFMEA, root cause analysis, and systems validation methodologies
Experience leading suppliers, external engineering organizations, and outsourced technical development activities
Ability to provide technical direction while maintaining ownership of final engineering decisions and integration outcomes
Strong organizational leadership, communication, and decision-making capability under pressure
Demonstrated experience leading electrical systems integration across production vehicle platforms
Experience supporting vehicle programs through prototype development, validation, manufacturing launch, and field issue resolution
Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, quality, program management, and external development partners
All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Electromechanical Engineering, preferred
Experience with commercial vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, or complex vehicle integration programs
Experience supporting low- or zero-emission vehicle platforms
Experience operating in fast-paced or rapidly evolving engineering organizations
Advanced degree in engineering or related technical discipline
Familiarity with functional safety, cybersecurity, AUTOSAR, or advanced vehicle controls integration
Experience scaling engineering organizations or implementing systems engineering structures in low-process environments
Experience supporting outsourced engineering development or external technical partnerships

Responsibilities

Lead development of vehicle electrical architecture strategy across high-voltage systems, low-voltage systems, controls integration, electrical distribution, communication networks, and electromechanical subsystems.
Drive electrical and electromechanical integration across propulsion, chassis, controls, thermal, software, manufacturing, and vehicle platform teams to ensure complete vehicle functionality and production readiness.
Oversee development and integration of vehicle communication networks, controls systems, diagnostics, software interfaces, and functional interactions across vehicle subsystems.
Lead integration strategy for electric, hybrid, and alternative propulsion systems including HV architectures, battery systems, power electronics, charging systems, and propulsion controls.
Establish engineering standards, integration frameworks, electrical design guidelines, validation methodologies, and scalable technical processes.
Lead technical direction across suppliers, engineering service providers, and external development partners while maintaining ownership of architecture strategy, technical quality, integration outcomes, and launch readiness.
Oversee validation strategy, DV/PV execution, integration troubleshooting, and root cause resolution across electrical, controls, communication, and electromechanical systems.
Partner with manufacturing, launch, quality, and operations teams to ensure electrical systems integrate successfully into prototype builds, pilot operations, production launch, and early field operation.
Ensure vehicle electrical systems comply with FMVSS, ISO, SAE, EMC, HV safety, cybersecurity, and applicable commercial vehicle regulatory standards.
Build, mentor, and lead high-performing engineering teams capable of operating effectively in fast-paced, high-accountability development environments.
Drive alignment across engineering, manufacturing, program management, quality, supply chain, suppliers, and executive leadership teams to support platform execution and launch success.
Create structure and drive execution in environments where architectures, requirements, supplier capabilities, and platform strategies are evolving simultaneously.