Functional Safety Supervisor

Ford • Dearborn, MI

10d • $115,500 - $218,100 • Hybrid

About The Position

This role leads Functional Safety (ISO 26262) execution across assigned features, ensuring strong team management, cross-functional coordination, and adherence to Ford Functional Safety processes. The supervisor is accountable for delivering high-quality safety work products from HARA through verification and validation, while maintaining alignment with program milestones. The role partners closely with Feature System Engineers, suppliers, and engineering teams to drive consistent safety implementation and issue resolution. A key focus is placed on enforcing process discipline, improving execution quality, and building team capability through coaching and guidance. In addition, the role supports SOTIF activities for advanced and emerging systems, ensuring scenario-based risks are addressed and integrated into the overall safety case. Candidates are expected to demonstrate a strong learning mindset, adaptability, and readiness to support evolving architectures (e.g., FNV3+) and future safety requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in automotive product development or systems engineering, with at least 3+ years of dedicated, hands-on experience in Functional Safety (ISO 26262).
• 1+ years of experience in a technical lead, supervisor, or mentoring role, with a demonstrated ability to guide engineers and manage workload prioritization.
• 3+ years of experience authoring and delivering core ISO 26262 safety work products, including Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessments (HARA), Functional/Technical Safety Concepts (FSC/TSC), and Safety Cases.
• 2+ years of experience collaborating with external suppliers on safety deliverables, including establishing Development Interface Agreements (DIAs) and reviewing supplier safety cases.

Nice To Haves

• Functional Safety Certification (e.g., TÜV, SGS, or equivalent).
• 2+ years of experience applying Functional Safety (ISO 26262) and SOTIF (ISO 21448) principles, including scenario-based risk evaluation and triggering event analysis for ADAS or active safety features.
• 2+ years of experience working with highly integrated, distributed, or centralized E/E architectures (e.g., zonal controllers, service-oriented architectures, FNV3+ or equivalent).
• 2+ years of experience preparing for, participating in, or leading formal ISO 26262 safety audits and assessments.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience utilizing specialized safety analysis and systems engineering tools (e.g., Ansys Medini Analyze, Jama Connect, DOORS, or Jira).
• 3+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams and driving process adherence in a multi-stakeholder automotive environment.
• Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Functional Safety activities (HARA, FSC, TSC, safety requirements, Verification & Validation, Safety Case) for assigned features
• Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of safety work products in alignment with Ford processes and program milestones
• Drive safety case development and support safety assessments and audits
• Support SOTIF activities, including scenario-based risk evaluation and integration into safety arguments
• Collaborate with Feature System Engineers, suppliers, and cross-functional teams for safety compliance
• Manage and resolve safety issues, anomalies, and deviations with clear closure plans
• Provide technical guidance, coaching, and workload prioritization for the team
• Monitor safety metrics and report feature-level safety status to leadership
• Promote continuous improvement, automation, and process standardization
• Support onboarding and development of team members with a strong focus on learning and growth

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