Thermal Firmware Integration Engineer - Early Career Program, Advanced EV

Ford Motor Company • Palo Alto, CA

16h • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford Motor Company is seeking an early-career Thermal Firmware Integration Engineer for a six-month program, with a shorter duration possible in some cases. The role works at the boundary between thermal hardware and embedded software, supporting bring-up, integration, verification, and hands-on debugging of thermal mechatronic devices. The work contributes to thermal systems that support occupant comfort, vehicle powertrain capability, and battery fast charging across weather conditions.

The engineer will collaborate with engineering teams on prototype bench setups, firmware integration testing, verification, device characterization, and root-cause investigations across electrical, mechanical, and software domains. Candidates may be required to work onsite four or more days per week. The program is expected to start as early as spring 2027. Eligible candidates living 50 or more miles away may receive a $5,000 pre-tax relocation stipend. Visa sponsorship is not available, and candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

• Pursuit of a degree in Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• Solid grounding in mechatronic fundamentals, including sensors, actuators, motors, and position feedback, and how they interact with embedded software.
• Ability to read, trace, and debug C/C++ on embedded targets.
• Demonstrated debugging and diagnostic ability, including judgment to identify whether a problem originates in electrical, mechanical, or software systems.
• Hands-on comfort in a lab, including building test setups, instrumenting hardware, and generating data.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, written communication, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.
• GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.
• Ability to dedicate six months to the engagement.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with automotive communication protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) and associated tooling.
• Proficiency with Vector tools (CANalyzer, CANoe, CANape) or equivalent calibration and debugging environments.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or bench-in-the-loop test environments.
• Familiarity with diagnostic standards and services (UDS, DTC design), functional safety practice (ISO 26262), or risk assessment methods (FMEA/HARA).
• Knowledge of thermal physics, fluid mechanics, psychrometrics, or HVAC principles.
• Experience with electronics bench instrumentation, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, and current probes.
• Experience with Agile delivery and workflow tooling (Jira, Confluence) and requirements management (Jama).
• Experience with version control (Git) and code review practice.
• Proficiency in Python for scripting, test automation, or data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Support bench bring-up and integration of thermal mechatronic devices, including smart pumps, valves, electric compressors, actuators, motorized registers, and cabin or environmental sensors.
• Work with engineers to build and instrument prototype bench setups combining simulated and actual vehicle components for firmware integration testing.
• Write and execute verification test cases for component controls, application logic, and diagnostics, and report results to development teams.
• Analyze CAN, LIN, and Automotive Ethernet traces and vehicle logs to characterize device behavior and isolate integration issues.
• Read and trace embedded C to understand implemented behavior, and support root-cause investigations across electrical, mechanical, and software domains.
• Support characterization of sensors and actuators across operating conditions, and help define plausibility, validity, and fault-detection expectations with controls engineers.
• Support verification of diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) and manufacturing self-test behavior.
• Document interfaces, test setups, and known issues, and track issues to closure in the team's Jira workflow.

Benefits

• $5,000 pre-tax relocation stipend for eligible candidates living 50 or more miles away.
• Program participants will work with an exceptional team, contribute to breakthrough work, and develop skills for future career pursuits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed