System Integration Engineer

Ford Motor Company • Palo Alto, CA

13h • $150,200 - $283,500

About The Position

Ford's Advanced EV and Software team is charged with building the next generation of connected electric vehicles. We are customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and security-driven, dedicated to delivering industry-leading, secure vehicle access experiences for EV 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.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 8+ years of professional experience developing embedded software.
• Strong proficiency in Embedded C programming.
• Strong Python scripting and automation experience.
• Hands-on experience with complex embedded software projects, such as Vehicle Access systems, Digital Key, or Key Card technologies.
• Experience working with complex industry standards, e.g., Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standards.
• Understanding of Bluetooth, UWB, NFC, RF communication, and wireless connectivity architectures.
• Experience developing software for automotive ECUs and embedded real-time systems.
• Demonstrated ability to own a system end-to-end, from architecture through post-launch support, with minimal supervision.
• Practical experience using modern AI-assisted development tools (e.g., VS Code Copilot, Claude Code, or similar) to improve coding efficiency, accelerate debugging, and support test/documentation generation, paired with sound judgment on responsible use of AI-generated output.

Nice To Haves

• Automotive experience implementing CCC Digital Key vehicle access technology, and/or Key Card authentication systems.
• Experience developing software for Body Control Modules (BCM) or Vehicle Access ECUs.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity concepts related to vehicle access, transaction authorization, and secure authentication.
• Familiarity with CAN, Automotive Ethernet, diagnostics, and vehicle communication protocols.
• Experience with vehicle integration, validation, and launch activities.
• Understanding of embedded Linux and RTOS-based systems.
• Familiarity with ISO 26262, ASPICE, MISRA, or automotive software development processes.
• Experience establishing or contributing to team guidelines for the safe and efficient use of AI coding assistants in safety-critical or regulated software environments.

Responsibilities

• Own implementation of one or more components of the vehicle access authentication path, including transaction authorization, lock/unlock, start authorization, and/or remote functions across Digital Key and Key Card.
• Architect and develop embedded software for Vehicle Access systems running on ECUs and real-time embedded platforms.
• Design, implement, and maintain Digital Key functionality based on Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standards, alongside Key Card authentication flows.
• Develop software supporting vehicle access features utilizing Bluetooth, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), NFC, and RF communication technologies.
• Lead collaboration with systems, hardware, validation, cybersecurity, and mobile application teams to deliver end-to-end vehicle access and vehicle function solutions.
• Write and enhance embedded software in C, leveraging Python for automation, testing, and validation activities.
• Define software architecture, interfaces, and communication frameworks between vehicle systems, key credentials (Digital Key and Key Card), and external devices.
• Support vehicle integration, debugging, and bring-up activities on prototype and production vehicles.
• Diagnose complex software, connectivity, and RF-related issues across vehicle and mobile ecosystems.
• Use AI-assisted development tools (such as VS Code with GitHub Copilot or other Ford-approved AI coding assistants) to accelerate coding, code review, debugging, documentation, and test-case generation, while critically validating all AI-suggested code against automotive safety, security, and coding standards (e.g., MISRA).

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: Manager