Principal Technical Specialist - Vehicle & Connected Cyber Security

Ford

21h • Remote

About The Position

Reporting to the Senior Director of Vehicle and Connected Cybersecurity, this position plays a critical role in shaping cybersecurity architecture, influencing platform decisions, mentoring technical teams, and representing the organization with regulatory authorities, business partners, and industry forums. This role involves acting as the principal technical authority for vehicle, embedded, and connected cybersecurity across all vehicle programs and platforms. It requires defining and evolving cybersecurity architectures and technical standards for ECUs, in-vehicle networks, OTA, cloud backends, mobile apps, and V2X ecosystems, while providing expert guidance on secure-by-design principles and emerging threats affecting automotive and connected systems. The position also involves partnering with vehicle, software, and systems engineering teams to integrate cybersecurity requirements throughout the product development lifecycle, leading or supporting threat modeling, risk assessments, and security architecture reviews, and influencing design decisions to balance security, safety, performance, cost, and customer experience. Additionally, the role supports compliance with automotive cybersecurity standards and regulations, provides technical input for cybersecurity policies, processes, and audit readiness, and advises leadership on cybersecurity risk posture. The individual will serve as a senior technical advisor during cybersecurity incidents, guide root cause analysis and remediation strategies, and oversee vulnerability disclosure and penetration testing findings. Furthermore, the role requires representing the company in industry working groups, engaging with suppliers and technology partners, and monitoring emerging threats and trends. Finally, the position involves mentoring and developing cybersecurity engineers and specialists, and elevating overall cybersecurity maturity through knowledge sharing and best practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with significant focus on embedded, automotive, or IoT systems.
• Deep technical expertise in areas such as embedded security, secure boot, cryptography, PKI, in-vehicle networks (CAN, LIN, FlexRay, Ethernet), OTA updates, and cloud-connected systems.
• Strong understanding of automotive cybersecurity standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Proven ability to influence technical decisions across multiple teams without direct authority.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working at or with an automotive OEM or Tier 1 supplier.
• Familiarity with functional safety (ISO 26262) and its interaction with cybersecurity.
• Hands-on experience with threat modeling methodologies and security architecture design.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, CSSLP, GIAC) are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Act as the principal technical authority for vehicle, embedded, and connected cybersecurity across all vehicle programs and platforms.
• Define and evolve cybersecurity architectures and technical standards for ECUs, in-vehicle networks, OTA, cloud backends, mobile apps, and V2X ecosystems.
• Provide expert guidance on secure-by-design principles and emerging threats affecting automotive and connected systems.
• Partner with vehicle, software, and systems engineering teams to integrate cybersecurity requirements throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Lead or support threat modeling, risk assessments, and security architecture reviews for vehicle platforms and connected services.
• Influence design decisions to balance security, safety, performance, cost, and customer experience.
• Support compliance with automotive cybersecurity standards and regulations (e.g., ISO/SAE 21434, UNECE R155/R156, NIST).
• Provide technical input for cybersecurity policies, processes, and audit readiness.
• Advise leadership on cybersecurity risk posture, residual risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor during cybersecurity incidents affecting vehicles or connected services.
• Guide root cause analysis, remediation strategies, and long-term corrective actions.
• Oversee vulnerability disclosure, penetration testing findings, and coordinated response activities.
• Represent the company in industry working groups, standards bodies, and technical forums.
• Engage with suppliers and technology partners to assess cybersecurity capabilities and risks.
• Monitor emerging threats, technologies, and regulatory trends impacting automotive cybersecurity.
• Mentor and develop cybersecurity engineers and specialists across the organization.
• Elevate overall cybersecurity maturity through knowledge sharing, best practices, and technical reviews.

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: Principal