Pre-Production Controls Development Engineer

Ford • Dearborn, MI

3d • $85,400 - $192,900 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford’s Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company’s vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven and is dedicated to delivering industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. You’ll join an agile team of doers pioneering our EV future by working collaboratively, staying focused on only what matters, and delivering excellence day in and day out. Join us to make positive change by helping build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.
In this role you will be investigating control functionality for Pre-Program Motion (PT/Chassis) control technology to develop for new control system requirements, algorithms, systems design, and coding in areas where new technology is needed. (emissions, fuel economy, OBD, compliance). You will span development areas in support of 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 our partners in calibration, engine, transmissions/driveline, emissions development, and similar to understand the needs and form the detailed assumptions for the control system technology being requested. Many times these will be vague requests, and the pre-production control engineer will need to apply strong physics and engineering principles to determine the correct controls (S/W and H/W) needed.
• Create and deliver required milestone deliverables for both and 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 any new technology design using standard tools and strong first principle engineering analysis.
• Work in a matched pair sense with R&A engineers who are developing and CR/AR technology and understand the development path, timing and support required for these projects with the 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 a 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 both in support of 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 and with production level quality assurance and coding practices for any control software that is moving formally into an active program release.
• Work with the 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