Hardware Architecture Manager

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

19h • Onsite

About The Position

The Global Chassis Architecture Manager (Leadership Level 4) leads the global department responsible for defining early underbody architecture, with a focus on suspension, steering, brakes, and wheels/tires. The role is central to Underbody Systems’ modularity strategy, establishing architectural direction that manages complexity, enables efficient design, and helps programs move quickly without compromising quality. The manager leads chassis architecture from program start through the early UNVx milestones of GPDS and integrates chassis commodities with frames and subframes, body structure, driveline, and propulsion across global vehicle platforms.

The position sets long-range underbody architecture and technology direction, translates vehicle plans into architecture and investment decisions, and aligns stakeholders on trade-offs. It also leads a global team of supervisors and product design engineers based in US, European, and Australian product development centers. The direct reporting organization for the role is based in Dearborn, Michigan.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical, Automotive, or Aerospace Engineering.
• At least 10 years of experience in automotive chassis product development and systems engineering, including early-phase architecture.
• Proven ability to set long-range technical direction, influence senior leaders without direct authority, and align multiple teams on complex trade-offs.
• Deep chassis expertise and working knowledge of modular architecture, CATIA/3DX, component FEA, and MBD/ADAMS systems modeling.
• Experience leading and developing leaders in a global organization, with accountability for cost, timing, and talent.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility verification is required at hire.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or MBA.
• Knowledge of Agentic and Generative AI.

Responsibilities

• Own the multi-year underbody architecture roadmap, including common interfaces, scalable building blocks, and design rules that reduce variation and complexity across global platforms.
• Translate vehicle strategy, cycle plans, and technology vectors into architecture decisions, investment priorities, and resource plans, using a 5–10 year planning horizon to inform near-term program choices.
• Partner with Vehicle Architecture, Vehicle Engineering, Program Leadership, and Underbody Systems leadership; negotiate trade-offs among cost, weight, timing, performance, and complexity, and drive alignment on decisions.
• Serve as the Underbody Systems point of contact for Vehicle Planning and Programs on hardware definition, weight, tool and facility investment, engineering headcount, and GPDS milestone alignment.
• Lead architectural milestone reviews, health charts, design-rule adherence, and sourcing package definition with Supply Chain and downstream underbody engineering.
• Benchmark competitors and connect Research & Advanced Engineering with industrialization of chassis technology vectors, partnering with Technical Experts.
• Champion the Engineer as Designer initiative and strengthen CATIA/3DX, CAE, and ADAMS MBD proficiency.
• Implement an internal Build-to-Print strategy for key chassis commodities and grow engineering expertise as needed.
• Lead the shift to AI-augmented engineering to improve quality, cost, and speed, and grow analytical capability and depth in early program phases.
• Lead and develop a global team of supervisors and product design engineers across US, European, and Australian product development centers; deploy resources against changing cycle plans and oversee the broader global chassis organization.
• Set high standards for technical rigor and foster transparency, accountability, and sound risk-taking.
• Develop a succession pipeline of technical specialists and future engineering leaders.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized backup childcare.
• 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.
• 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