Lead Engineering Technician | Vehicle Systems (Powertrain)

Ford-Motor-Company; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Paid time off

Holidays

Vehicle discount

Tuition assistance

Parental leave

Job summary

Ford Motor Company in Palo Alto, CA is seeking a Lead Engineering Technician to support development and testing of electric powertrain, thermal, and vehicle systems. You’ll assemble, modify prototype hardware, troubleshoot, and document results while coordinating daily work and training technicians.

You’ll lead daily build/test activities, interpret drawings, build fixtures, and track work in Jira. Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering required; experience with prototype builds, testing, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proficiency in prototype system builds, modifications, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Ability to lead while contributing to the work, setting priorities, guiding technicians, and maintaining accountability.
• Ability to translate engineering requirements, drawings, schematics, and procedures into executable work.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily build and test activities across powertrain, thermal, and vehicle systems.
• Assemble, install, modify, and rework electric powertrain components and related hardware.
• Support component, subsystem, and vehicle-level testing, including setup, instrumentation, operation, and teardown.
• Diagnose mechanical, electrical, and thermal issues and coordinate findings with Engineering.
• Read and interpret work instructions, drawings, schematics, and test procedures.
• Train technicians, assign daily work, and ensure clear communication during handoffs.
• Document vehicle configurations, completed work, test results, issues, and deviations.
• Maintain test vehicles and shop areas in a safe, test-ready condition.

Skills

Prototype builds

Testing & troubleshooting

Lead technicians

Electrical principles

Documentation & reporting

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

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 Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company’s vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven and is dedicated to delivering industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. You’ll join an agile team of doers pioneering our EV future by working collaboratively, staying focused on only what matters, and delivering excellence day in and day out. Join us to make positive change by helping build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.

In this position... The Lead Engineering Technician supports development and testing by leading hands-on build, rework, and testing activities across electric powertrain, thermal, and vehicle systems. This role will assemble and modify prototype hardware, prepare vehicles and test equipment, troubleshoot system issues, and document results. The technician lead will also coordinate daily work, train other technicians, and ensure builds and tests are completed safely and according to engineering instructions.

What you’ll do

• Lead daily build and test activities across powertrain, thermal, and vehicle systems while providing hands‑on direction to technicians.
• Assemble, install, modify, and rework electric powertrain components, thermal systems, and related vehicle hardware.
• Support component, subsystem, and vehicle‑level testing, including test setup, instrumentation, operation, and teardown.
• Diagnose mechanical, electrical, and thermal system issues and coordinate findings with Engineering.
• Take ownership of complex prototype builds and rework when standard procedures are still being developed.
• Read and interpret work instructions, mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, harness diagrams, and test procedures.
• Build and design fixtures, tooling, fluid loops, instrumentation, and test equipment from loosely defined requirements.
• Inspect components and assemblies using precision measurement and diagnostic equipment.
• Train technicians, assign daily work, and ensure clear communication during project and shift handoffs.
• Document vehicle configurations, completed work, test results, issues, and deviations.
• Maintain test vehicles, lab equipment, and shop areas in a safe and test-ready condition.
• Ability to track work through Jira and other Atlassian tools.
• Maintain a strong understanding of electrical principles and automotive standards.

You’ll have

• Bachelor's Degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Proficiency in prototype system builds, modifications, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Ability to lead while contributing to the work, setting priorities, guiding technicians, and maintaining accountability.
• Ability to translate engineering requirements, drawings, schematics, and procedures into executable work.
• Strong judgment, communication, organization, and problem‑solving skills in a changing environment.
• Ability to communicate and document work status, findings, risks, configurations, and open issues.
• Ability to work safely and maintain an organized, efficient work environment.

Even better, you may have

• Hands‑on experience building and launching automotive products and vehicle prototyping
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Confluence, and Jira applications
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• An eagerness to work in a fast paced cross‑functional environment

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:

Benefits

• 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 a salary grade 7 and ranges from $95,300-$159,400.

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.