Senior Systems Engineer, Vehicle Access & Passive Safety

Ford; Allen Park (MI); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Parental leave

Vehicle discount

Tuition assistance

Employee resource groups

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a Senior Software Systems Engineer (Vehicle Access) to drive requirements for immobilizer, key cards, key fobs, and digital keys. You’ll define performance specs, review interfaces, and coordinate cross‑functional teams to deliver robust vehicle access features across hardware and software.

The role emphasizes MBSE, system integration, and hands-on bring-up and validation across prototype to production stages in a hybrid work setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree required in engineering or related field.
• Experience applying systems engineering fundamentals to automotive concepts.
• Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead feature and function development of Vehicle Access systems.
• Define and test hardware-software interfaces (CAN, Ethernet).
• Coordinate prototype bring-up, testing, and verification activities.

Skills

Systems engineering

MBSE tools

Git

Teamwork

Problem solving

Communication

Project management

Education

B.S. in Computer Science or Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MBSE tools

Git

Embedded C

Python

MATLAB/Simulink

SPICE

IQ-FMEA

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 Creation and Industrialization (PC&I) brings together Ford’s vehicle, electric, digital and design teams with our global manufacturing system. Working as one end-to-end organization, we turn ideas into high-quality vehicles, software and experiences across gas, hybrid and electric, designed around what customers need.

In this position...
The Senior Software Systems Engineer (Vehicle Access) will lead the development of the requirements that define the software involved in vehicle access features like the immobilizer, key cards, key fobs, and digital keys. You will work with cross-functional stakeholders to establish performance requirements, review signal chains, capture interface definitions, document state machines, and coordinate verification and validation to deliver successful implementation of vehicle features via hardware and software.

You will lead bring-up and validation activities as software is delivered, and support overall functionality and performance of vehicle systems throughout the product life cycle. You will conceptualize, design, engineer, develop, and support the launch of next-generation vehicle platform architectures for electric vehicles.

What you'll do...

• Lead the feature and function development of systems related to Vehicle Access, defining requirements, iterating via stakeholder reviews, and enabling software development teams.
• Define, test, and validate combined hardware and system requirements for Vehicle Access platform features and functions.
• Lead and manage the integration of initial prototype systems, including debugging and engineering tests for prototype bucks, lab cars, and vehicles.
• Conduct architecture investigations and execute trade-off studies to optimize design strategies for experience, cost, and performance.
• Author and manage interface definitions for the functions you define, including CAN and Ethernet signal definitions

You'll have...

• B.S. in Computer Science or Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Strong understanding of systems engineering fundamentals and ability to apply them to automotive concepts
• Experience and working knowledge of systems development, electrical architecture, functional architecture, and system integration
• Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools
• Experience defining and driving to implementation complex and cross-functional features and functions
• Experience with creating and executing component and system level test procedures
• Experience using Git in a collaborative development workflow
• Excellent teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and project management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• An eagerness to work cross-functionally in a dynamic environment where you are part of a high performing team
• A systems approach to design and development with the desire and curiosity to strive for exceptional delivery execution and continuous improvement

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!

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.

Even better, you may have...

• 5 year’s experience in a systems engineering or similar role
• Master’s Degree Computer Science or Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent
• Expert in model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools
• Experience with embedded C, Python, MATLAB, Simulink, SPICE, IQ-FMEA, and similar
• Experience with cryptography, cybersecurity, certificate/key exchanges, and similar
• Experience with near-field communication (NFC), Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE), and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technologies

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $115,000-$192,900. 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 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 with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.