Sr. Chassis & Vehicle Integration Engineer

About Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

 

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Integration & Vehicle Architecture Engineer is the critical technical owner of vehicle-level integration and architecture definition across Blue Bird platforms. This role is responsible for establishing the structural, spatial, and functional framework that governs how all major vehicle systems interact, integrate, and perform. Operating at the intersection of chassis, body, powertrain, and electrical systems, this role drives critical architecture decisions that directly impact vehicle performance, manufacturability, cost and serviceability. This role requires a highly experienced engineer who can operate with autonomy, define structure in ambiguous environments, and lead cross-functional teams through complex technical trade-offs under aggressive timelines.   

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Vehicle Architecture Ownership: Define and own the vehicle architecture from a blank slate, establishing system boundaries, interfaces, and design rules that determine how the vehicle comes together.
• Packaging & Envelope Leadership: Own the full vehicle package and envelope, driving integration across all systems and resolving conflicts to deliver a manufacturable, serviceable, and high-performance design.
• New Platform Integration: Lead the integration of externally sourced assembly systems into Blue Bird platforms, defining how body, electrical, and propulsion systems interface in a production-ready architecture.
• DMU Ownership & Integration Governance: Own the Digital Mock-Up (DMU) process as the primary integration control, leading reviews, enforcing standards, and ensuring clash-free, build-ready designs before physical validation.
• Interface Definition & Control: Establish and manage system interfaces across all domains, ensuring clear ownership, compatibility, and traceability throughout development.
• Requirements Definition & Systems Structure: Create and own product and system requirements from the ground up, transforming loosely defined or legacy designs into clear, actionable frameworks that support rapid development and high-quality decision-making.
• System Trade-Offs & Decision Making: Drive trade-offs across performance, cost, weight, manufacturability, and serviceability. Make fast, high-quality decisions with incomplete information.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Align engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams. Resolve conflicts with clear technical direction and accountability for outcomes.
• Vendor & Supplier Integration: Work directly with key vendors and suppliers to define requirements, resolve constraints, and ensure system compatibility.
• Prototype Through Production: Lead integration from prototype builds through launch, quickly diagnosing issues and driving practical, scalable solutions.
• Design for Build & Service: Ensure designs support efficient assembly, production scalability, and field serviceability.
• Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure where none exists. Define processes, drive execution, and deliver results in a fast-moving, evolving environment.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES FOR SUCCESS

• Deep understanding of vehicle system architecture and cross-domain integration (mechanical, electrical, thermal)
• Proven ability to resolve complex packaging and interface challenges across multiple systems
• Strong decision-making capability in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with competing priorities
• Ability to influence and align cross-functional teams without formal authority
• Experience working with external Tier 1s, vendors and suppliers in a technical integration capa