Chief Controls Engineer - Connected Vehicles

JLG Industries; Hagerstown (MD); On-site; USD 118,600 - 204,000; Full time

Job summary

JLG Industries in Maryland seeks a Chief Engineer – Controls to lead the engineering team focused on vehicle control systems across propulsion, hydraulics, and software. You will drive technical strategy, mentor leaders, and ensure robust development, testing, and integration.

Responsibilities include directing cross‑functional engineering programs, evaluating new technologies, managing budgets, and collaborating with customers and suppliers to deliver industry‑leading controls solutions for

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering with substantial related experience.
• 12+ years in automotive or heavy‑duty vehicle control systems.
• Strong expertise in vehicle control, CAN, Autosar, MATLAB/Simulink, and real‑time development.

Responsibilities

• Lead a large engineering team across multiple disciplines and functions.
• Direct budgeting, planning, and resource allocation for engineering programs.
• Develop engineering goals and strategic plans for platforms and product lines.
• Collaborate with customers and suppliers to resolve complex technical issues.

Skills

Leadership

Control systems

C/C++ programming

System architecture

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

MathWorks

dSPACE

Autosar

CAN bus

Job description

About JLG, An Oshkosh Company

JLG began in 1969, when our founder, John L. Grove set out to resolve growing safety concerns in the construction industry. Since then we have been committed to understanding the challenges and delivering innovative solutions to the access market. We partner with customers to provide quality equipment, training opportunities and trusted support within the access industry. We are a global company, and our products—including mobile elevating work platforms, telehandlers, utility vehicles and accessories—can be found all over the world. The Chief Engineer – Controls leads and manages the engineering team, responsible for driving continuous improvement efforts across different engineering disciplines, making critical decisions that have a large impact on projects and engineering initiatives, developing and fostering engineers to think innovatively, hold accountability, and process improvement on a daily basis. The role leads the technical engineering position within a company and is exceeded by a Director or Sr. Chief Engineer. Works within engineering groups to manage applicable technology exploration and all aspects involving the development and implementation of vehicle control systems. Controls work encompasses advanced control strategy development and verification for engine, hybrid, and electric vehicles, for components (electronic control modules, motors, drives, engines, generators, energy storage cells, sensors, etc.), and for autonomous vehicle systems, suspension systems, material handling systems, data handling systems, and other auxiliary systems for on‑road and off‑road applications.

Your Impact

• Lead a large engineering team consisting of Managers, Engineers, Designers, and Technicians across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Plan, direct, and coordinate business and product strategy to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• Provide coaching and development for leaders including exposure to workforce planning, succession planning, resource allocation, horizon planning, conflict resolution, people‑first leadership.
• Prepare and control department budget(s), forecast operating costs of department, and direct preparation of budget requests.
• Has high level P&L responsibility.
• Understand market share and P&L for their product line – strong business acumen.
• Collaborate with functional leaders to achieve strategic initiatives.
• Ability to present and defend technical engineering decisions to Engineering leadership, Oshkosh leadership, and external customers.
• Develop engineering goals and strategic plans for their platform team or product line.
• Conduct the research necessary to be an advocate for new technologies/products that will enable the business.
• Identify and provide potential innovative solutions to complex issues.
• Act as a key influencer in technical decisions regarding new technology.
• Collaborate in establishment of the technical baseline and technical engineering vision.
• Help lead the transformation of the organization into modern approaches to development, integration, and test.
• Interface with customers/suppliers to resolve complex technical issues to provide the business with innovative, industry‑leading solution.
• Provide technical mentorship to all levels of the engineering organization.
• Supplies technical inspiration and leadership consultation to other engineers.
• Act as a technical advisor to Engineering leaders.
• Work in collaboration with software engineering and other internal engineering groups or business support disciplines.
• Plan and direct the technical aspects of vehicle system controls research, development, verification and validation, testing and production implementation.
• Lead or conduct research on new technologies and establish requirements (resources, equipment, estimates, test plans, and milestones) according to the needs of a project.
• Work with or direct internal and external (industry consortiums and universities etc.) project teams on advanced control development efforts and on component development efforts.
• Develop feasibility studies and project estimates (manpower, budget development, and timelines, etc.) for proposed projects.
• Manage proposal development with regards to acquiring appropriate funding for various advanced control development efforts.
• Implement necessary process controls, methods, and policies for controls engineering.
• Assure appropriate levels of industry compliance for vehicle control systems.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Regular attendance is required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Accredited Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or related field with ten (10) or more years of related experience.

Standout Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering and 12-plus years related experience or Master’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering and 10-plus years related experience or Ph.D. degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering with 5 years related experiences.
• Automotive or heavy‑duty vehicle background with vehicle control system experiences.
• Strong expertise and specialized in one or more of the following fields: suspension control, powertrain control, vehicle stability control, material handling equipment control, vehicle dynamics real‑time simulation, or advanced hydraulic control, etc.
• In‑depth work experience in automotive or heavy‑duty vehicle CAN bus and architecture.
• In‑depth work experience in Mathworks, dSPACE or Vector tools and Autosar.
• Embedded software development experiences using C/C++/C# or Python a plus.

Core Competencies

• Internal Contacts: Contact with peers and others involving explanation of information (these contacts may be within or outside department or division), and the gathering of factual information; may include the communication of sensitive or confidential information.
• External Contacts: Limited external contact to gather information, answer queries, or ask assistance.
• Communication Skills: Read, write and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos; Read and interpret safety rules, operating/maintenance instructions and procedure manuals; Write routine reports, correspondence and speak effectively before both internal and external groups; Read, analyze and interpret business manuals, technical procedures and/or government regulations: Read, analyze and interpret scientific and technical journals, financial reports and legal documents.
• Decision‑Making: Significant responsibility for decisions and final results, affecting more than one function or a function with multiple units. Substantial analysis is required and many factors must be weighted before a decision can be reached.
• Complexity, Judgment and Problem Solving: Work requires the ability to plan and perform work in light of new or constantly changing problems, work from broad instruction, and deal with complex factors not easily evaluated. Decisions require considerable judgment, initiative and ingenuity in areas there is little precedent.
• Supervisory/Managerial: Recommends personnel actions (hiring, termination, pay changes). Involves scheduling, supervision, and evaluation of employees who perform similar work assignments.

Working Conditions

• Physical Demands: Frequent – Standing, Walking/Running, Sitting, Reaching, Hearing, Talking, Visual, Typing; Occasional – Driving, Fine Dexterity, Manual Dexterity; Upper Extremity Repetitive Motion; Seldom – Lifting/Carrying 25 lbs., Pushing/Pulling 25 lbs.
• Non‑Physical Demands: Frequent – Analysis/Reasoning, Communication/Interpretation, Math/Mental Computation, Reading, Sustained Mental Activity (i.e. auditing, problem solving, grant writing, composing reports), Writing.
• Environmental Demands: Frequent – Work Alone, Frequent Task Changes, Tedious/Exacting Work; Occasional – High Volume Public Contact.
• Work Schedule: Routine shift hours. Infrequent overtime, weekend, or shift rotation.
• Demands/Deadlines: High volume and variable work demands and deadlines impose strain on routine basis or considerable stress intermittently; or regular direct contacts with distressed individuals within the immediate work environment; and/or exposure to demands and pressures from persons other than immediate supervisor.

Pay Range

$118,600.00 – $204,000.00

The above pay range reflects the minimum and maximum target pay for the position across all U.S. locations. Within this range, individual pay is determined by various factors, including the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, education and skills, as well as the equity of pay among team members in similar positions. Beyond offering a competitive total rewards package, we prioritize a people‑first culture and offer various opportunities to support team member growth and success.

Oshkosh Commitment and EEO Statements

Oshkosh is committed to working with and offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at [e-mail].

Oshkosh Corporation is a merit‑based Equal Opportunity Employer. Job opportunities are open for application to all qualified individuals and selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristic. To the extent that information is provided or collected regarding categories as provided by law it will in no way affect the decision regarding an employment application.

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