Functional Safety AI Principal Engineer

Ford Model e U.S.; Dearborn (MI); On-site; USD 142,000 - 268,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Parental leave programs

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Employee resource groups

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Job summary

Ford Motor Company seeks a senior leader to connect AI safety with software quality in automotive programs. You will define safety architecture, adopt AI-safety standards, and mature governance across ADAS, driver-monitoring, and connected AI initiatives.

You will lead active programs, drive MLOps and safety metrics, and collaborate with suppliers to close gaps. Role requires deep embedded AI/ML knowledge with regulatory engagement experience.

Qualifications

• MS/PhD preferred with substantial industry experience.
• Experience with ISO/SAE standards in automotive AI safety.
• Knowledge of AI governance and safety frameworks.
• Experience bridging architecture, safety, and program execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead AI-safety strategy across Ford ADAS/AD and connected AI programs.
• Advise on safety architecture, quality, and AI governance.
• Develop AI maturity plans with engineering stakeholders.
• Report to the Director of OFSA; oversee safety and quality practices.

Skills

AI safety

ISO 26262

ISO 21448

ISO/PAS 8800

Regulatory engagement

Automotive SPICE

MLOps

Cross-functional leadership

Mentoring teams

Embedded systems

AI/ML in real-time systems

Education

M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Embedded Systems

Ph.D in Electrical/Computer Engineering or Embedded Systems

Tools

Automotive SPICE

QA and safety tooling

Job description

In this position...

Connect AI functional safety to software and quality engineering:

Implement guardrails for safety within existing quality requirements enforced through the same development pipeline, quality gates, and metrics.

Drive system safety architecture and assurance strategy for AI across Ford’s ADAS/AD, driver-monitoring, and connected/embodied-AI programs;

Lead adoption of emerging AI-safety standards and process frameworks and prepares Ford for AI-specific regulation;

Principal technical authority bridging architecture, safety, software quality, AI/ML engineering, and program execution.

Day-to-day technical leadership on active programs, forward-looking work that matures Ford’s AI-safety, security and quality methods, tooling, and standards posture.

Assess AI maturity within projects, process frameworks and Ford infrastructure to develop an AI in FuSa Health Dashboard.

Work with Ford Connected Vehicle Software and Product Data Integrity, and supplier engineering teams to identify safety related process and work product gaps and recommend best practice solutions.

Develop a capability maturity plan working with engineering stakeholders.

Report to the Director of the Office of Functional Safety Assurance (OFSA).

You’ll have…

• M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Embedded Systems, with substantial industry experience.
• Deep, hands-on command of the automotive AI-safety core, all mandatory: ISO 26262 (functional safety), ISO 21448 (SOTIF), and ISO/PAS 8800 (safety and AI).
• Working knowledge of the broader assurance and governance landscape (UL 4600, ISO/IEC TR 5469 and ISO/IEC 23894), with the judgment to apply each where it fits.
• Familiarity with the AI and vehicle-safety regulatory and governance landscape (EU AI Act, the EU General Safety Regulation and type-approval framework, UNECE regulations, US NHTSA/FMVSS frameworks, and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework), and the ability to turn regulatory obligations into engineering and evidence requirements.
• Experience with Automotive SPICE and software/ML quality engineering: quality gates, metrics, test strategy, and MLOps practice; experience supporting process, quality, or safety assessments and audits a strong plus.
• 10+ years architecting, designing, and validating safety-critical embedded systems in automotive environments.
• Solid understanding of AI/ML in embedded and real-time systems, and of AI-specific failure modes.
• Proven delivery across complex, cross-functional programs; able to bridge architecture, safety, and execution teams.
• Standards-body and/or regulatory engagement experience (ISO, SAE, UNECE) desirable.
• Technical-leadership track record; prior people-management experience a plus where the role carries team scope.
• Communication & collaboration: Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively engage with cross-functional teams, external partners, and stakeholders to drive successful feature system development projects.
• Leadership: Proven leadership abilities, with a track record of mentoring and guiding technical teams, fostering innovation, and delivering high-quality software that meets safety, security, and performance objectives.
• Strategic & systemic thinking: Demonstrated ability to comprehend end-to-end systems of systems, apply systemic thinking, critical thinking, and strategic reasoning to identify opportunities, rapidly understand complex concerns, provide alternative solutions, and drive strategy from concept through to production.
• Adaptability: Comfort with ambiguity, with a demonstrated ability to structure an approach to complex problems and drive clarity on solutions.
• Innovation: Understand and drive innovation and change in processes, engineering excellence, quality, and efficiency.
• Continuous improvement mindset: A drive for a system approach to design and development, coupled with a desire and curiosity to strive for exceptional delivery execution and continuous improvement.

Even better, you may have…

• Ph.D in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Embedded Systems, with substantial industry experience.

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is leadership level 5 and ranges from $141,700-$268,300.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.