Motorsports Program Engineer

Ford Motor Company; Allen Park (MI); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 162,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental and vision coverage

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Ford Motor Company in Allen Park, Michigan, is seeking an experienced Off‑Road Motorsports Program Management Engineer. You will lead race programs, oversee external builds, and coordinate with Ford Racing teams to deliver race‑ready vehicles.

Hybrid work, with significant travel for testing and events, is expected. The role emphasizes program leadership, cross‑functional collaboration, data interpretation, and trackside execution to drive performance improvements and technology transfer into

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering field.
• Experience coordinating across many functional disciplines on a single program to drive alignment.
• Experience with data acquisition/interpretation (telemetry, logs, simulations) for engineering decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead Ford Racing Off‑Road Motorsports programs and develop structure, timelines and milestones.
• Oversee external vehicle builds, engaging internal Ford teams to create race‑ready cars.
• Define test plans, locations and success criteria and support data collection and calibration updates.
• Provide trackside support, troubleshoot events, and manage resources and schedules.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional coordination

Data analysis

Vehicle testing

Trackside operations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD

MATLAB

Minitab

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.

Product Development

Product Development uses design thinking & user experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that delight our customers. We bring innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life. We have opportunities around the world for you to contribute to advancements in autonomy, electrification, smart mobility technologies, and more!

In this position...

Ford Racing Off‑Road Motorsports pushes Ford vehicles and powertrains through the most challenging off‑road conditions possible - not just to win, but to continue to refine technology for future Raptor vehicles we sell to customers. We are looking for an experienced, talented, and highly motivated Off‑Road Motorsports Program Management Engineer to join our North American Off‑road Motorsports team, based in Allen Park, Michigan.

This is a hybrid role requiring at least 4 days per week in the Allen Park, MI office.

What you’ll do...

• Program Management: Lead Ford Racing Off‑Road Motorsports programs for Ultra 4 (4400, Bronco 4600) and Rebelle Rally - taking the cycle plan from the conference room to the dirt. Develop program structure, timelines, and deliverables (milestones, gate reviews, build plans) as needed to ensure vehicles with class‑winning content are race‑ready on schedule.
• Vehicle Build Ownership: Oversee the build of off‑road vehicles by external vendors, engaging internal Ford Racing skills teams where necessary — powertrain, chassis, thermal, electrical, and body — to develop a race‑ready vehicle. Support engineering assessments of design features and hardware for factory partner teams. Manage race team and supplier relationships, negotiate timing, create BOMs, provide CAD support, and procure genuine Ford components for builds.
• Vehicle Preparation and Testing: Execute vehicle‑level testing that evaluates race robustness. Define the test plans, locations, and success criteria. Ensure vehicles are test‑ready, supporting race teams with data collection, calibration updates, and issue resolution through remote and in‑person interactions as needed. Lead root cause resolution for all test issues, leveraging internal resources and partner expertise to assess and prevent failure modes. Coordinate test operations, including spare parts availability, personnel schedules for drivers and crews, test location permits, and safety plans.
• Trackside Support: Support race events through pre‑event troubleshooting, live telemetry analysis, and other "trackside" operations responsibilities, maintaining focus on quality, safety, and competitive performance.
• Continuous Vehicle Improvement: Champion continuous improvement initiatives through post‑race analysis, collaborating with factory partners and Ford Racing performance engineering teams to elevate vehicle speed, durability, and competitive advantage based on trackside data and post‑race teardowns.
• Technology Transfer: Work with the Ford Racing production engineering team to share learnings and drive the transfer of off‑road racing technology and methodologies into future production vehicles.
• Future Portfolio Strategy: Lead race vehicle feasibility studies, defining the technology development plans that will support Ford Racing's next-generation off‑road motorsport endeavors.

You’ll have...

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering field.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate across many functional disciplines (e.g., powertrain, chassis, electrical, manufacturing, quality) on a single program, driving alignment among groups with competing priorities.
• Working knowledge of how a vehicle is built end-to-end — understanding how systems interact and how decisions in one area (e.g., suspension) affect performance and integration in others (e.g., chassis, powertrain).
• Experience in data acquisition and interpretation (e.g., vehicle telemetry, test logs, simulation results, or trackside data) to diagnose issues and make engineering decisions.
• Passion for Excellence: A proven passion to win and an enthusiasm for off‑road racing, vehicle dynamics, and performance engineering.
• Professional Experience: 3+ years of automotive industry experience
• Ability to support trackside operations under demanding schedules, including evenings, weekends, and extensive travel to remote test and race locations.
• Personal drive to tackle issues with a hands‑on approach, paired with the professional business presence needed to interface directly with suppliers.

Even better, you may have...

• Professional or personal experience in a motorsports environment, through supporting skills such as data analysis, performance improvements, and team management including budget, schedules, and logistics
• Demonstrated program management capability, including planning, structuring deliverables, and driving programs to completion on time and on budget.
• Experience managing external suppliers, resolving technical conflicts, and aligning cross‑functional teams toward a common goal.
• Leadership roles in a Formula/Baja SAE or equivalent student competition programs
• Proven experience leading projects with direct responsibility for scope, schedule, and deliverables — from early planning through execution and launch.
• Knowledge of Ford systems and tools related to production vehicle engineering and release.
• Experience with CAD, Matlab, Minitab. You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

Benefits and Compensation

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 a range of salary grades 5-8 and ranges from $65,100-162,120.

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.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.