RAE Senior Researcher

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

Ford’s Research and Advanced Engineering team takes new ideas from theory to reality. Every day, we develop advanced energy management and propulsion technologies, create cutting-edge materials and manufacturing processes, and curate world-class cabin experiences that redefine what it means to drive a Ford.

We are seeking a highly technical professional who will be develop the controls systems for our newest technologies.  You will focus on analyzing customer needs and define required architecture and functionality early in the development cycle, model and simulate vehicle system operation, design and implement control algorithms, and validate designs in desktop simulation, as well as in prototype vehicles. Successful candidates for this position will possess a track record of leadership, strong independent thinking, effective communication, self-motivation, complex system troubleshooting, and thrive in an environment where they need to understand the complete workings of vehicle controls and the complex interactions between subsystems.

What you'll do…

• Leverage a model-based approach and best industry practice tools to architect, define, and analyze complex, distributed systems, involving a mix of mechanical hardware, electrical hardware, and software and algorithms for electrified vehicles
• Develop control algorithms for advanced powertrain (engine, transmission, driveline, EV) systems to deliver vehicle attributes, including control architecture selection, algorithm simulation, implementation, and verification and validation via leveraging a combination of model-in-the-loop (MIL), software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and vehicle test environments
• Leverage, subsystem-, and component-level CAE models to analyze dynamic systems and complex system interactions, and to support concept analysis and verification, parameter optimization, and controls/design verification and validation
• Define and review physical system testing and characterization to validate CAE models and guide vehicle and control system design
• Use Systems Engineering tools and methods to develop, manage, and cascade functional and Functional Safety (ISO 26262) requirements to support technology development
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation to support global engineering and quality processes, and to facilitate technology transfer: system models, use cases, requirements, functional safety work products, design validation tests and methods
• Support and present research on the application of advanced controls and methods for advanced powertrain systems
• Leverage connected vehicle technologies (wireless communication, location and route data, cloud-compute resources, AI/ML techniques, etc.) to improve customer experience with enhanced controls and prognostics

You'll have…

• Bachelor’s Degree (+5 years experience) in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or a related field with emphasis on control systems
• 5+ years of experience developing requirements, designing real-time control algorithms and verifying for electrified vehicle systems
• 5+ years of experience with data analysis and modeling & simulation of dynamic systems using Matlab, Simulink or Stateflow 
• 5+ years of software development C, C++, or model-based software development tools to automotive or similar applications
• 5+ years proven experience in controls systems development for electromechanical systems

Even better, you may have...

• Master’s Degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or a related field with emphasis on control systems
• 5+ years of experience in dynamic systems modeling and real-time controls development for automotive or similar complex electromechanical systems
• 5+ years of experience in distributed systems engineering including requirements management, function decomposition and allocation, failure mode avoidance, robustness analysis, and system validation and verification
• Experience with automotive powertrain systems and longitudinal controls for xEV systems (series hybrid, parallel hybrid, mild hybrid, battery electric, fuel cell)
• Demonstrated ability to use Matlab/Simulink for system modeling, simulation, data analysis and embedded control software implementation
• Experience with PREEvision | AUTOSAR System and Software Design
• Experience with standard systems engineering tools including boundary diagrams, fault tree analyses, FMEAs, P-diag