Engineer, Vehicle Development

Blue Bird Careers•Macon, GA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Vehicle Development Engineer in Engineering leads the physical integration, validation, and optimization of complete vehicle systems for Blue Bird's commercial and school bus platforms. This role drives the physical development lifecycle of traditional, low-emission, and electric vehicle (EV) platforms from early prototype stages through to production line sign-off. The Vehicle Development Engineer acts as the bridge between virtual engineering design and physical reality, ensuring that complete vehicles meet performance, durability, safety, and ride-and-handling targets.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution.
Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience in vehicle development, vehicle integration, or experimental validation within an automotive or heavy truck OEM environment.
Holistic understanding of complete automotive architectures, including mechanical, electrical, thermal, and electronic control unit (ECU) networks.
Hands-on experience with automotive instrumentation tools and data analysis software (e.g., Vector CANalyzer, CANape, Dewesoft, or Somat eDAQ).
Expert diagnostic skills to troubleshoot complex, interacting system faults across mechanical, high-voltage electrical, and software domains.
Deep knowledge of vehicle dynamics testing, accelerated structural durability protocols, and thermal management evaluation techniques.
Strong interpersonal skills to effectively convey vehicle-level test findings and engineering recommendations to cross-functional design and executive teams.
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

Direct experience validating high-voltage Electric Vehicle (EV) systems, battery pack integration, or electric drivetrain calibrations.
Possession of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with a passenger endorsement, or the ability to obtain one for test-track operations.
Familiarity with automotive communication protocols such as J1939, CAN, and LIN bus systems.
Advanced engineering degree, such as a Master of Science in Automotive or Mechanical Engineering.
Ability to anticipate and understand customer needs and provide guidance
Excellent interpersonal and customer relationship skills to handle difficult and sensitive matters.
Strong project management skills.
Exposure to difficult or complex projects a plus.
Ability to influence stakeholders
Effective communication and ability to communicate complex details in a clear manner.
Flexible workspaces and work hours to help you unleash the best you.
Working in a collaborative team and balancing the needs of individual stakeholders while delivering corporate objectives.

Responsibilities

Oversee the physical assembly and functional integration of complex vehicle subsystems, including powertrain, chassis, thermal management, and high-voltage EV networks onto prototype platforms.
Author comprehensive vehicle validation plans (DVP&R) and conduct physical vehicle testing on test tracks and laboratory environments (e.g., structural durability, thermal performance, and vehicle dynamics).
Instrument prototype vehicles with sensors (accelerometers, thermocouples, strain gauges) and utilize data acquisition tools to capture, analyze, and interpret real-world engineering metrics.
Identify system-level conflicts, design defects, or performance shortfalls during physical testing, and lead root cause analysis (RCA) to implement corrective design modifications.
Manage vehicle-level compliance testing to satisfy Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), environmental mandates, and internal safety protocols.
Conduct vehicle ride, handling, braking, and NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) evaluations, translating subjective test-driver feedback into quantitative engineering targets.
Collaborate directly with Component Design Engineers, Simulation teams (FEA/CFD), and Plant Manufacturing Operations to refine vehicle designs for optimal assembly and performance.