Subsystem Engineer – Powertrain Sensors

Ford • Dearborn, MI

5d • $74,300 - $166,200 • 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 position...
We are looking for a Propulsion Controls Sensor Subsystem Engineer to lead the development and validation of powertrain sensor subsystems used in engine operation, exhaust aftertreatment, emissions control, and vehicle monitoring systems. You'll own subsystem functionality from requirements through in-vehicle robustness verification, lead the Feature Expert List for sensor calibration values, and drive next-generation sensor accuracy and consistency to meet and exceed functional and emissions compliance targets.
This role combines requirements development, functional confirmation and hands-on vehicle testing of Ford implementations. It includes developing specialty instrumentation, benchmarking competitor systems, and collaborating with other system experts. It's ideal for an engineer who wants an active technical ownership of a subsystem from concept through full useful life in the field.

Requirements

• BS in Engineering required — Electrical Engineering with strong mechanical understanding, or Mechanical Engineering with strong electrical understanding, preferred.
• Experience with data acquisition tools such as oscilloscopes, CAN interfaces, calibration tool interfaces, and custom microprocessor-based hardware.
• Expertise post-processing data in MATLAB or an equivalent analysis tool.
• Experience with microprocessor software and embedded software development.
• Comfort with a role that combines hands-on dyno and vehicle testing with detailed analytical analysis of the gathered data.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent assignments with proper prioritization.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in automotive sensor, powertrain, or emissions subsystem engineering, including leading robustness/reliability studies.
• Direct experience with Exhaust sensors—Nox, O2 or Particulate sensor technology.
• Detailed experience with FMEA, P-diagram development, and validation testing.
• Knowledge of OBD/emissions regulatory requirements (EPA, CARB, LEV4, Euro 6/7).
• Working knowledge of CAN bus and LIN/SENT sensor communication protocols and analysis tools (e.g., Vector CANalyzer/CANoe, Kvaser).
• Familiarity with statistical analysis methods for reliability engineering (Weibull analysis, DOE, capability studies).

Responsibilities

• Develop formal requirements and validate subsystem-level functionality of propulsion sensors.
• Lead optimization actions for accuracy and consistency to meet functional and emissions compliance targets on next-generation systems.
• Lead robustness studies to confirm subsystem capability meets functional requirements across the full vehicle fleet over the full useful life of the vehicle.
• Support the calibration technical community in reviewing future sensor implementations and confirming proper in-vehicle function.
• Develop requirements for early hardware that interfaces with new sensors; define instrumentation for special test vehicles, including continuous flight-recorder monitoring.
• Develop specialty instrumentation — custom test hardware based on microprocessor/development-board designs, including writing and modifying the embedded software.
• Lead the Feature Expert List (FEL) which defines the proper sensor calibration values used in production vehicles.
• Lead studies on improved exhaust system designs to optimize emissions performance and sensor availability.
• Benchmark competitor systems on key attributes related to exhaust sensors.
• Support sensor-level problem-solving investigations on pre-production and production vehicles.
• Analyze field and bench data — CAN bus signals, durability cycling, thermal/vibration stress — to identify failure modes and drive root-cause corrective actions.
• Apply statistical analysis methods to confirm data conclusions.
• Present technical findings, present critical findings and ensure formal requirements are clear and codified

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare 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: Entry Level