System Assurance Manager

Ford Motor Company • Dearborn, MI

1d • $141,700 - $215,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The System Assurance Manager leads and grows a team responsible for ensuring systems such as netcom, power, and diagnostics launch successfully across Ford and Lincoln programs. The role aligns requirements with test cases, develops test plans, performs negative testing, influences test execution and systems teams, and sets team strategies aligned with department goals. The position reports to the Director of FAST (Feature Assurance and Systems Troubleshooting).

The manager provides strategic leadership to the System Assurance Engineering team, owns system launches across the global vehicle portfolio, and partners with teams to ensure robust architecture, design, DFMEAs, requirements, and integration of hardware and software. The role collaborates across product and program management, validation and verification, software, hardware, design, integration, feature, quality, and architecture teams to meet program timelines. It also provides technical guidance on system operation and troubleshooting, drives quality and risk management through testing and verification review, advances continuous improvement, and communicates project status, risks, and opportunities to leadership and stakeholders.

The position is hybrid and requires onsite work four or more days per week. The salary range is $141,700–$215,000. Visa sponsorship is not available; candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of hands-on experience in system engineering, software development, or related technical roles within the automotive industry.
• Deep understanding of automotive software and hardware systems.
• Expertise defining, developing, and optimizing secure and safe vehicle systems, including system architecture, integration, verification processes, and automotive performance requirements.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to engage cross-functional teams, external partners, and stakeholders.
• Proven leadership abilities, including mentoring and guiding technical teams and delivering high-quality feature systems that meet safety, security, and performance objectives.
• Ability to understand end-to-end systems of systems and apply systemic thinking, critical thinking, and strategic reasoning to identify opportunities, understand complex concerns, develop alternative solutions, and drive strategy from concept through production.
• Comfort with ambiguity and ability to structure approaches to complex problems and clarify solutions.
• Ability to understand and drive innovation and change in processes, engineering excellence, quality, and efficiency.
• Continuous-improvement mindset and curiosity about exceptional delivery execution.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in a technical or management field.
• At least 15 years of experience in automotive electrical systems.
• At least 5 years of people management experience.
• Experience launching new vehicles and a track record of achieving plant quality targets.
• Mastery of Ford product development deliverables and engineering tools, including AVBOM, WERS, AIMS, 8Ds, eFDVS, Jama, Engineering Sign Off, DFMEA, Six Sigma, Confluence, and Jira.

Responsibilities

• Grow the System Assurance Engineering team and define strategies and processes to ensure delivery of quality systems.
• Align the system assurance rollout plan with system requirements deliverables from requirements teams.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to the System Assurance Engineering team, fostering collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
• Design and drive test strategies across organizational teams, including developing and executing negative test plans across systems.
• Own system launches across the global vehicle portfolio and ensure partner teams create robust architecture, designs, DFMEAs, and requirements and integrate hardware and software solutions into program products.
• Collaborate with product and program management, validation and verification, software, hardware, design, integration, feature, quality, and architecture teams to meet program timelines.
• Provide technical guidance in system areas and work with feature and software partners to troubleshoot system operation using a cross-functional vehicle- and system-level perspective.
• Drive launch feedback into execution and partnered system design and architecture teams; review verification results and use evaluative testing to support quality and reliability.
• Identify and mitigate technical risks and challenges to support successful delivery.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives for system development and deployment processes, tools, and methodologies.
• Communicate project status, risks, and opportunities to executive leadership and stakeholders through regular updates and insights.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized back-up child care.
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments.
• 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.
• Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including time between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager