Vehicle Software Updates Systems Engineering Manager

Ford • Dearborn, MI

5d • $141,700 - $268,300 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Vehicle Software Updates Systems Engineering Manager leads a Systems Engineering team responsible for developing and evolving Ford’s vehicle software release and over-the-air (OTA) update capabilities. This technical leadership role spans embedded systems, cloud operations, and manufacturing, shaping the architecture and strategy for moving software from factory production through service operations and into vehicles on the road. The manager will drive the transformation of Ford’s Software Factory into a modern, scalable, and resilient release pipeline and communicate technical strategy to the team, executive stakeholders, and global partners.

The role is hybrid, with four days per week in the Dearborn, Michigan office. The position is Leadership Level 5, with a stated salary range of $141,700–$268,300. Visa sponsorship is not available. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, systems engineering, computer science, or a related technical field.
• At least 10 years of experience in Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, Embedded Systems Development, or a related field.
• At least 5 years in a formal or informal leadership or management role, leading cross-functional technical teams through complex product lifecycles.
• Deep understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Software Factory toolchains, such as GitHub, GCP, and Jenkins.
• Ability to translate complex business requirements into technical system-level architectures for embedded and cloud domains.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in engineering or business administration (MBA).
• Direct experience with automotive over-the-air (OTA) update technology or large-scale distributed systems.
• Familiarity with Ford’s in-house IVS/SWCM/SRP/VRP systems.
• Mastery of automotive communication protocols such as CAN and Ethernet/SomeIP, and cybersecurity principles for software deployment.
• Exceptional communication skills and demonstrated ability to present technical material to executive-level audiences (LL5+).
• Experience creating and managing broad roadmaps across complex projects and multiple development teams to advance cross-functional project progress.
• Background in aerospace, defense, or automotive industries, focused on safety-critical software integration.
• A product mindset and ownership of the end-to-end product lifecycle, including strategy, development, launch, and post-launch support.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architectural design and evolution of Ford’s next-generation Software Factory release and deployment pipeline.
• Define software release and deployment strategy across the vehicle lifecycle, from plant assembly through service diagnostics and OTA updates.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop a diverse Systems Engineering team, fostering technical excellence, continuous improvement, and agile delivery.
• Oversee the creation and standardization of system-level requirements and specifications.
• Establish quality gates and validation standards to ensure software integrity across plant, service, and OTA delivery channels.
• Optimize and automate software release and deployment processes.
• Lead triage and resolution of complex integration and field issues.
• Serve as the primary contact for Software Release and Deploy transformation, including SRP/VRP transformation, with senior leadership and global stakeholders in Manufacturing/Plant Operations, Service Engineering, Embedded ECU Development, and Cloud Operations.
• Coordinate teams to integrate the Software Factory toolchain with vehicle hardware and deliver reliable Software Release Packages and Vehicle Release Packages.
• Manage migration from legacy systems to modernized systems.
• Lead War Room sessions and executive reviews to resolve critical-path blockers for vehicle launches and major software feature rollouts, supporting zero-defect delivery.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized backup 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.
• Employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• 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