Senior Vehicle Applications Engineer

Blue Bird Corporation•Troy, MI

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Application Engineer supports the development and execution of the technical product definition for a new commercial chassis platform from concept through production launch. Working under the direction of the Product Integration and Applications Engineering Lead, this role develops product requirements, supports body builder integration, manages vehicle configurations, evaluates application compatibility, and ensures engineering changes are accurately reflected throughout the product lifecycle. The position serves as a primary technical interface between engineering, manufacturing, body manufacturers, suppliers, and customers to support scalable, manufacturable, and customer-ready vehicle configurations. This role requires an engineer who thrives in a fast-paced environment, is comfortable making sound engineering decisions within defined product strategy, and enjoys working across multiple engineering disciplines to solve complex vehicle integration challenges.

Requirements

Strong understanding of commercial vehicle product development, configurable product architectures, and body-on-chassis integration
Experience developing product requirements, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), engineering specifications, and application documentation
Understanding of vehicle configuration management, option logic, engineering change management, and product lifecycle processes
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, vehicle layouts, and technical specifications
Experience working with body manufacturers, OEM partners, suppliers, dealers, or vehicle integration organizations
Strong understanding of engineering change processes, product releases, and configuration management
Ability to communicate effectively across engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, customers, and commercial organizations
Strong analytical, organizational, and technical problem-solving skills
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline
5+ years of experience in product engineering, applications engineering, systems engineering, vehicle integration, commercial vehicle engineering, or product development
All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting configurable vehicle products from concept through production launch
Experience developing product requirements, engineering documentation, configuration management, or vehicle integration activities
Experience working directly with cross-functional engineering teams, suppliers, customers, or body manufacturers
Experience with commercial chassis, incomplete vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, or vocational vehicle applications
Experience supporting body builder integration or OEM upfitter programs
Experience with requirements management, PLM, systems engineering, or configuration management tools
Experience developing body builder manuals, application guides, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), or engineering specifications
Experience supporting prototype builds, manufacturing launch, or production engineering activities
Master's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline
Experience supporting clean-sheet vehicle development or accelerated product launches

Responsibilities

Develop, document, and maintain vehicle, customer, application, regulatory, and body builder requirements while supporting requirements traceability throughout product development.
Support body manufacturers by defining chassis interfaces, installation requirements, mounting provisions, electrical interfaces, dimensional envelopes, and application guidelines to ensure successful vehicle integration.
Develop and maintain vehicle configurations, option compatibility, feature dependencies, engineering constraints, and configuration logic supporting customer applications and manufacturing.
Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs), application specifications, body builder guides, installation manuals, and technical documentation supporting vehicle integration.
Evaluate engineering changes for impacts to product configurations, customer applications, body integrations, manufacturing, and service while maintaining configuration integrity.
Partner with Systems Engineering, Vehicle Integration, Manufacturing, Strategic Sourcing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Sales to ensure consistent product definition throughout development and launch.
Provide engineering support to body manufacturers, dealers, customers, and internal teams by evaluating vehicle applications, special requests, option compatibility, and integration feasibility.
Verify engineering documentation, configuration rules, option logic, and technical data to ensure accurate implementation throughout engineering and manufacturing systems.
Support prototype builds, manufacturing launch, and early production by resolving product definition, configuration, and application issues affecting vehicle readiness.
Identify opportunities to improve product definition, simplify configuration complexity, enhance engineering documentation, and strengthen application processes throughout the product lifecycle.
Create structure and drive execution where customer requirements, engineering priorities, and product configurations continue to evolve.