Staff Motor Controls Engineer

Ford; Long Beach, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 284,000; Full time

Job summary

Ford is seeking an experienced drive-inverter controls engineer to develop advanced control algorithms for automotive traction inverter systems. The role emphasizes reliability, performance, efficiency, and OTA-enabled firmware updates.

You will work with cross-functional teams on validation, testing, and roadmaps, leveraging your power electronics and control theory expertise to ensure durability and quality in high-volume automotive applications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in Electrical/Mechanical/Physics or equivalent.
• 10+ years of experience in automotive power electronics and motor drives.
• Experience coding control algorithms in embedded C.
• Experience with motor inverter design and testing.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement control algorithms for traction inverter systems with focus on reliability and efficiency.
• Develop firmware for traction inverter and power electronics with OTA update capability.
• Create system simulations to verify control algorithms.
• Collaborate with hardware and software teams to integrate control strategies.

Skills

Power electronics

Control theory

Embedded C

Motor drives

System validation

Diagnostics

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

PLECS

Git

Confluence

Jira

Job description

The drive-inverter controls engineer will develop advanced control algorithms for automotive traction inverter systems to optimize reliability, performance, efficiency, and cost. Further, algorithms to monitor and manage the state of system components are developed to ensure safe operation of the assets and guarantee the desired durability of all components. In general, it is expected that the motor controls engineer will stay informed about industry trends, support validation and testing activities, and contribute to technology roadmaps and customer-facing attributes.

What you'll do...

• Develop and implement control algorithms for automotive traction inverter systems, ensuring reliability, safety, optimal performance and efficiency.
• Develop and implement controls algorithms to monitor and diagnose the state of system components.
• Develop firmware for the traction inverter and power electronic systems. Firmware will be enabled to support continuous improvements and optimizations for high-volume applications through over-the-air (OTA) updates.
• Develop control system simulations to verify algorithms.
• Participate in inverter hardware selection and optimization for durability, efficiency, and performance.
• Develop block and system diagrams to showcase interactions between subsystems.
• Develop, analyze and interpret system requirements and develop technical specifications for control system components, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations, and correlated analytical models.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate control strategies with hardware and software components and validate system functionality through simulation and testing.
• Identify and track key system decisions that establish technology roadmaps and customer facing attributes.
• Utilize necessary tools such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and frequency response analyzers to bring-up and test controls on target hardware.
• Lead troubleshooting and root cause analysis efforts to identify and resolve control system-related issues and implement corrective actions to improve system performance and reliability.
• Stay current with industry trends and advancements in control theory, power electronics, and automotive technologies, and apply this knowledge to enhance control system designs and functionalities.
• Support the development of validation and verification plans.
• Participate in testing and validation activities to ensure control system performance and safety requirements are met.

You’ll have...

• Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics Degree or similar degree
• 10+ years of experience designing, developing, and releasing products.
• Sound knowledge of power electronics and control theory.
• Experience coding control algorithms and inverter applications in embedded C.
• Experience designing and optimizing controls for motor inverters, chargers, DCDCs, or similar mass-produced automotive grade power electronic products.
• Hands‑on experience building, optimizing, and launching motor control systems using induction motors and/or PMSMs for traction control
• Strong power electronics and digital controls background, particularly in motor drive applications, DCDC, and/or chargers.
• Experience in modeling control systems using MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS or similar.
• Hands‑on experience building and launching automotive products and prototyping powertrain systems.
• Ability to read and interpret component datasheets, PCB schematics and layout design.

Even better, you may have...

• PhD degree in engineering
• Knowledge of fault tolerant machine topologies and optimization of inverters for sensorless control.
• Deep understanding of sensorless controls techniques.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Confluence, and Jira applications.
• Experience with instrumentation and measurement of powertrain systems in a lab environment.
• Experience using git or similar version control system.
• 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.

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 leadership level 6 and ranges from $150,200-$283,500.
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. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.