Staff Powertrain Electromagnetics Design Engineer

Ford-Motor-Company; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 284,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Paid parental leave

Back-up childcare assistance

Vehicle discount program for employees

Tuition assistance

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a Staff Powertrain Electromagnetics Design Engineer in Palo Alto to lead the electromagnetic design of powertrain systems, including electric motors and generators, from concept to high-volume production.

You will drive performance targets, collaborate across engineering disciplines, and build out the motor design team while partnering with global suppliers to balance performance and cost.

Qualifications

• Strong command of electric machine fundamentals: magnetic circuits, windings, losses, efficiency.
• Proficiency with electromagnetic design software (JMAG, COMSOL, Ansys Maxwell, Motor-CAD).
• Ability to optimize EM design across multiple topologies and validate with testing.
• Experience leading a motor design team and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Design cutting-edge electric motors and generators for mass-market adoption.
• Own electromagnetic performance targets across operating envelope — torque, power, efficiency, thermal limits, and NVH/torque-ripple.
• Collaborate with peers across disciplines to deliver high performance, manufacturable designs.
• Provide technical leadership and build out the motor design team.
• Partner with engineering teams and suppliers to balance performance and cost.
• Test and validate electromagnetic designs on bench and in the vehicle.

Skills

Electromagnetic design

Electric machine fundamentals

Electromagnetic software

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering

Tools

JMAG

COMSOL

Ansys Maxwell

Motor-CAD

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 Staff Powertrain Electromagnetics Design Engineer is responsible for the electromagnetic design of powertrain systems, including electric motors, generators, power electronics, owning electromagnetic design direction from concept through high volume production.

What you’ll do…

Design cutting-edge electric motors and generators for mass‑market adoption, from concept through high volume production

Own electromagnetic performance targets across the operating envelope — torque, power, efficiency, thermal limits, and NVH/torque‑ripple — optimizing loss mechanisms to maximize efficiency and range

Drive design decisions with electromagnetic modeling and simulation (2D/3D FEA, loss/efficiency mapping, demagnetization, multi‑physics), then build and test to prove performance on the bench and in the vehicle

Collaborate with peers across disciplines — mechanical, thermal, controls, power electronics, manufacturing, and quality — to deliver high performance, manufacturable designs and a profound customer experience

Provide technical leadership and build out the motor design team

Partner with our world‑class engineering team and global supply base to achieve industry leading performance and cost

You have…

B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related field and 8+ years of electromagnetic design experience, OR a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field and 3+ years of electromagnetic design experience or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

A strong command of electric machine fundamentals — magnetic circuit design, windings, losses, efficiency, and demagnetization

Proficiency with electromagnetic design software (e.g., JMAG, COMSOL, Ansys Maxwell, Motor‑CAD, or similar)

Proven ability to optimize an electromagnetic design within a single topology and across at least 3 unique topologies for a single application

Hands‑on experience testing electric machines and validating electromagnetic performance

Eagerness to work cross‑functionally on a high performing team, applying strong engineering fundamentals broadly to vehicle systems

Even better, you may have…

M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field

10+ years of experience in EM design

First‑hand experience across the full product development loop: design, test, high volume manufacturing, and customer feedback & experience

Multi‑physics (electromagnetic‑thermal‑structural) coupled analysis and control‑oriented machine characterization (flux linkage maps, inductance, saliency)

Deep knowledge of magnetic materials, magnet grades, and electrical steels

Excellent communication skills and a first‑principles, continuous‑improvement mindset

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.

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 with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.