Vehicle Controls Engineer - Propulsion Controls

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

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.

In this position... 
We are seeking a Vehicle Controls Engineer - Propulsion Controls to join a world-class group dedicated to building cutting-edge propulsion, energy, and thermal systems, you will play a pivotal role in defining how our future vehicles perform, operate, and feel. This role designs and develops advanced vehicle control algorithms for next-generation powertrain systems to deliver superior vehicle attributes. 

The Vehicle Controls Engineer - Propulsion Controls direct impact driving the end-to-end development process, including control architecture selection, algorithm simulation, and software implementation.

Core Responsibilities:

• Develop vehicle control algorithms for advanced powertrain 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

• Support controls team with creation, maintenance, troubleshooting of development of platform tools: software build system, software version and calibration management, data repository management, context-specific AI tools

• 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

• Provide controls and software support to Systems Engineering and Functional Safety work partners

• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation to support global engineering and quality processes, and to facilitate technology transfer: system models, use cases, requirements, 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

Minimum Requirements:

• M.S. or equivalent in mechanical, aerospace, electrical, systems engineering or similar field with a control systems focus

• 6+ years of experience in dynamic systems modeling and real-time controls development for automotive or similar complex electromechanical systems

• 6+ years in roles requiring understanding of automotive powertrain (including hybrid electrical vehicle) systems and controls, and vehicle dynamics with fundamental knowledge of general dynamics, hydraulics, electric machines, batteries, internal combustion engines, and mechatronic actuators

• 6+ years in roles demonstrating the ability to develop controls software for embedded targets using C or C++

• 6+ years in roles demonstrating the ability to use Matlab/Simulink or Python for system modeling, simulation, scripting, and data analysis 

• 6+ years of experience working in Linux, Unix and Windows environments

• 6+ years of experience with unit testing platforms for tools development (pytest, Google Test, Ceedling)

• 6+ years experience with standard systems engineering tools including boundary diagrams, fault tree analyses, FMEAs, P-diagrams, etc.

• 6+ years in roles de