Principal Engineer, Platform Integration & Validation

Blue Bird Careers•Troy, MI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Bird Corporation is seeking a senior individual contributor to provide technical leadership for vehicle electrical/electronic architecture and integration across its gas, diesel, LPG, and electric vehicle platforms. Reporting to the Senior Director of Electrical Engineering, the role establishes technical direction, translates vehicle functions and customer needs into coordinated hardware and software requirements, and leads complex system integration and issue resolution from concept through production and field support. The position requires deep expertise in one or more electrical/electronic disciplines and broad systems knowledge across complementary disciplines. Technical influence, cross-functional collaboration, standards development, and mentorship are central; direct people-management responsibility is not required. The role aims to deliver safe, reliable, manufacturable, and serviceable vehicle systems. The successful candidate will shape electrical/electronic architecture, guide design and integration decisions, lead verification and technical issue resolution, and work with internal teams and suppliers. Responsibilities span wiring harnesses, power and ground distribution, electronic control modules, embedded controls and software, vehicle networks, diagnostics, and validation. The position also establishes reusable engineering standards and applies lessons from validation, production, and field operation to future designs. Candidates must hold a relevant engineering degree, have at least seven years of progressively responsible experience developing and integrating vehicle electrical/electronic systems, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Blue Bird offers continued professional development benefits, insurance, paid holidays, vacation time, 401(k) matching, and flexible workspaces and work hours.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline from an accredited university. Candidates with a Mechanical Engineering degree must demonstrate substantial relevant electrical/electronic systems expertise.
At least 7 years of progressively responsible engineering experience developing and integrating vehicle electrical/electronic systems.
Demonstrated technical leadership across multiple complex programs or vehicle platforms, with deep expertise in electrical architecture, electronic modules, embedded controls, and/or embedded software.
All candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and authorized to work in the United States; proof of employment eligibility is required at hire.
Demonstrated systems thinking and technical leadership across complex vehicle electrical/electronic programs from requirements and architecture through production launch and field support.
Ability to define and assess interfaces among wiring, power distribution, electronic modules, embedded controls, and software, and diagnose complex issues using electrical measurements, network data, diagnostic information, and software or calibration evidence.
Demonstrated delivery of complex systems through production implementation, resolution of cross-system technical issues, and development of engineering practices adopted beyond a single project.
Software technical leadership and integration expertise; hands-on production coding experience is required only when included in the assigned technical specialization.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including explaining complex technical issues, documenting trade-offs, presenting evidence-based recommendations, and influencing stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
Proficiency in tools appropriate to the candidate’s technical specialization, with working knowledge of complementary development tools. Examples include schematic and harness CAD; MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent modeling tools; CAN analysis, diagnostics, and data logging; C/C++, Python, version control, and embedded debugging; requirements management; and automated, software-in-the-loop, or hardware-in-the-loop testing. Mastery of every listed tool is not required.
Working knowledge of applicable vehicle electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility, homologation, and FMVSS requirements, with the ability to translate relevant requirements into design and verification activities.
Deep expertise in one or more core disciplines: electrical hardware and harness/power-distribution architecture; electronic module development and integration; embedded controls, modeling, and calibration; or embedded software architecture, development, debugging, and integration.
Broad working knowledge across complementary electrical/electronic disciplines.
Experience integrating new features and internally developed or supplier-provided systems into existing and new vehicle architectures, with disciplined management of interfaces and hardware/software compatibility.
Experience with requirements management, design reviews, FMEA, verification planning, engineering change control, and configuration management; ability to establish reusable standards and develop the technical capability of other engineers.

Responsibilities

Define and maintain the vehicle electrical/electronic architecture roadmap across platforms, including wiring harnesses, power distribution, electronic modules, networks, and hardware/software interfaces.
Lead electrical design and integration decisions involving power budgeting, circuit protection, grounding, wiring harnesses, connectors, and electrical interfaces; guide schematic and detailed design reviews.
Lead architecture and design reviews, resolve cross-system technical trade-offs, and provide technical approval recommendations within delegated authority.
Mentor engineers and influence technical decisions across organizational boundaries.
Translate vehicle functions and customer needs into traceable system, module, hardware, and software requirements, including interfaces, operating states, timing, fault responses, and acceptance criteria.
Address applicable FMVSS, state, federal, and customer requirements with responsible stakeholders.
Lead technical definition, selection, development, and integration of electronic control modules, sensors, actuators, and intelligent power-distribution devices, including supplier-developed solutions.
Guide development and review of control strategies, state machines, interlocks, diagnostics, calibration approaches, and fault management.
Provide technical leadership for embedded software requirements, architecture and interface reviews, integration, configuration, verification, and release readiness in collaboration with internal software teams and suppliers.
Perform hands-on controls or software development when aligned with the assigned technical specialization.
Define and review vehicle network communication interfaces, message requirements, diagnostic behavior, and troubleshooting strategies.
Establish requirements-based verification strategies spanning simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, prototype, bench, and vehicle testing as applicable.
Serve as a technical escalation point for development, manufacturing, and field issues; lead root-cause analysis and verify corrective actions.
Partner with systems, software, mechanical, powertrain, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, and service teams to deliver integrated solutions meeting performance, manufacturing, cost, timing, and lifecycle objectives.
Lead supplier technical engagement on specifications, component selection, design maturity, integration risks, and corrective actions.
Establish engineering standards, analysis methods, reusable designs, and review criteria across electrical hardware, controls, and software interfaces.
Guide FMEA, requirements traceability, change-impact assessment, and hardware/software configuration compatibility; document technical decisions and communicate risks and recommendations.
Evaluate emerging electrical/electronic technologies and development methods for practical application to vehicle platforms, and incorporate lessons learned into standards and future designs.