Pre-Production Controls Development Engineer

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford’s Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is focused on delivering the company’s vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven, dedicated to delivering an industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. This role involves investigating control functionality for Pre-Program Motion (PT/Chassis) control technology to develop new control system requirements, algorithms, systems design, and coding in areas where new technology is needed (emissions, fuel economy, OBD, compliance). The engineer will span development areas supporting software, module, and sensor changes to Ford-developed control systems tools under the direction of the Vehicle Controls Senior Technical Leader.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Computer Science, or related degree, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Experience in GPDS, GTDS, Ford software development processes and similar.
• 5+ years’ experience in C-language (or equivalent), preferably in support of an embedded control systems environment.
• 3+ years’ experience in control system or embedded logic development.
• 3+ years working experience of Code Configuration Management, Jira Issue Management, Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge in Powertrain, Chassis, and/or Body controls development and the underlying physics/functional knowledge of those systems.
• 3+ years’ experience controls mechatronic hardware including sensors and actuators.
• 10+ years’ experience in C-language (or similar), preferably in support of an embedded real-time control systems environment.
• Knowledge of rapid prototyping environments such as Arduino or Raspberry PI.
• Knowledge of control system software and calibration development including ATI/Vision, ETAS/Inca and data analysis tools such as MATLAB or similar and familiarity with working with prototype vehicles and HIL environments.

Responsibilities

• Work with partners in calibration, engine, transmissions/driveline, emissions development, and similar to understand needs and form detailed assumptions for the control system technology being requested, applying strong physics and engineering principles to determine correct controls (S/W and H/W).
• Create and deliver required milestone deliverables for both <MR> and <PS> as well as designs and support for any X-phase prototypes.
• Support R&A on relevant GTDS milestones where applicable when attached to support an R&A controls project.
• Develop prototype models, simulations, and data analysis in support of new technology design using standard tools and strong first principle engineering analysis.
• Work in a matched pair sense with R&A engineers developing and CR/AR technology, understanding the development path, timing, and support required for these projects with Product Development controls teams and manage the interface.
• Identify technology gaps (new requested major functions/technology) that require development as they are underdeveloped or not already part of any existing development workstream.
• Perform scoping analysis and lead/support development of early technologies as needed, including support for management reviews around the amount and type of work needed to complete such development.
• Create “bridging” hardware, modules/sensors/control sw, required for early mule build or similar when production intent hardware is not available in time for pre-TPV work, supporting internal development projects and other organization dynamometer/test vehicle builds as required for program needs.
• Write rapid prototype code and make builds for testing new control systems in SIL/HIL/Vehicle to generate necessary data and/or demonstrate functionality.
• Bookshelf prototype code into the production versioning system with production level quality assurance and coding practices for any control software moving formally into an active program release.
• Work with relevant Motion control software feature leadership and teams, as well as application release teams, to ensure alignment with all program bookshelves, release timing, and resourcing requirements.

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: Mid Level