Research Engineer- Corrosion Scientist

Ford • Dearborn, MI

7d • $86,600 - $144,900 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford's Research and Advanced Engineering team explores new vehicle and societal innovations that require some level of invention before they can be applied to our products and services. The team is building on a history of Ford innovation, including our invention of the three-way catalytic converter to modernize vehicle emissions controls in the 1970s and the world’s first rear inflatable seat belts in 2010. The Materials, Processing, Structures and Safety Department in Ford's Research and Advanced Engineering organization is seeking a Corrosion Engineer/Scientist to join the Coatings and Surfaces Research team. Our team is focused on understanding coatings and surfaces on, and created during, vehicle manufacturing through experimental and simulation research. We dive deep into coating-surface interactions with each other and with the in-service environment. We're looking for a highly-motivated researcher with expertise in corrosion mechanisms, prediction, testing, and corrosion avoidance strategies for complex structures and automotive systems, with particular emphasis on corrosion protection for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), including battery enclosures, high-voltage components, and battery electrodes. This role requires close cross-functional partnership with Product Development, Vehicle Evaluation and Verification, Analytical Engineering, and Manufacturing teams, as well as colleagues in Joining, Structures, Metals, and Universal Electrical Vehicle (UEV) Development Research Groups.

Requirements

• Master of Science in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Physics or a related physical science field of study AND 5+ years of experience with corrosion of automotive materials.
• Ph.D. in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Physics or a related physical science field of study with a thesis emphasis on corrosion science or corrosion engineering
• 3+ years of experience with experimental design, corrosion testing of automotive materials, and analysis of corrosion and electrochemical data, in particular polarization and impedance data for use in corrosion-sensing, modelling, and prediction.
• Demonstrated excellence in collaborative and cross-functional research.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on experience with coating processes and material interactions for high voltage battery systems, including battery electrodes, battery structures, and associated coatings.
• Extensive knowledge of corrosion science for automotive-relevant materials – including steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium alloy parts manufactured using various processes – in bare, coated, and mixed-material scenarios, under vehicle service conditions.
• Experience in digital tools for corrosion simulation and prediction, such as COMSOL Multiphysics, computing platforms such as MATLAB or Python, and CAD systems.
• Hands-on experience with electrochemical instruments and techniques for corrosion research. Expertise in the use of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Rotating Disc Electrode experiments is especially relevant.
• Experience with metallurgical and surface analysis techniques: SEM, AFM, FTIR, XRD, XRF, GDOES, TEM.
• Outstanding digital literacy as well as written and oral communication skills.
• Great teammate with strong interpersonal skills.
• Keen interest in the automotive industry, in particular materials engineering and manufacturing processes for high quality, cost-efficient vehicle construction.

Responsibilities

• Perform fundamental and applied research in automotive corrosion, with emphases on coatings and pre-treatments for automotive materials, battery systems, and vehicle structures made from a range of materials via different manufacturing processes and exposed to the driving environment.
• Develop a robust, multidisciplinary research portfolio focused on automotive corrosion. A particular emphasis in this position will be the study of emerging material-environment systems for battery electric vehicles.
• Develop digital tools for efficient implementation of material & design guidelines for corrosion failure mode avoidance.
• Apply a multi-analysis approach to testing and improve the correlation between accelerated lab corrosion tests and field exposures.
• Collaborate deeply with internal Surface Science, Process Simulation, Joining, Paint, Metal, and UEV MPSS teams.
• Support efforts to develop multi-scale simulation tools for vehicle corrosion resistance in service.
• Grow a network of collaboration inside of Ford with Product Development, Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Ford Ion Park, Battery Manufacturing, and the Design Studio, and outside of Ford with universities, government laboratories, and suppliers.
• Document research via internal reports and external publications and presentations.

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: Senior