Thermal Firmware Integration Engineer - 6-Month Program

Lincoln Motor Company; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Ford Motor Company offers a 6-month Early Career Program in Thermal Firmware Integration. You will bridge thermal hardware with embedded software, working on smart pumps, valves, actuators, and sensors with firmware controls.

Candidates should be able to move between embedded C, vehicle logs, and thermal physics in a hands-on lab setting. You will collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and software teams to bring-up devices, run verification tests, analyze traces, and contribute to a

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Mechatronics, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.
• Solid grounding in mechatronic fundamentals (sensors, actuators, motors, position feedback) and embedded software.
• Ability to read, trace, and debug C/C++ on embedded targets.
• Demonstrated debugging and diagnostic ability across electrical, mechanical or software origins.
• Hands-on lab experience building test setups and instrumenting hardware.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills; team collaboration.
• GPA 3.0 on 4.0 scale; 6 months commitment required.

Responsibilities

• Support bench bring-up and integration of thermal mechatronic devices (sensors, actuators, valves, motors, cabin sensors).
• Build and instrument prototype bench setups for firmware integration testing.
• Write and run verification test cases for component controls, logic, and diagnostics; report results.
• Analyze CAN, LIN, Automotive Ethernet traces and vehicle logs to characterize behavior.
• Read and trace embedded C to understand behavior and support cross-domain root-cause analysis.
• Characterize sensors and actuators across operating conditions; define plausibility and fault-detection expectations.
• Verify diagnostic trouble codes and manufacturing self-test behavior.
• Document interfaces, test setups, and known issues; track issues to closure in Jira.

Skills

C/C++ (embedded)

Thermal mechatronics

CAN/LIN/Ethernet

Python scripting

Lab instrumentation

Jira/Confluence

Education

Mechatronics, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer Engineering or related

Tools

Jama

Git

CANalyzer

CANoe

CANape

Job description

Ford Motor Company offers a 6-month Early Career Program in Thermal Firmware Integration. You will bridge thermal hardware with embedded software, working on smart pumps, valves, actuators, and sensors with firmware controls.

Candidates should be able to move between embedded C, vehicle logs, and thermal physics in a hands-on lab setting. You will collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and software teams to bring-up devices, run verification tests, analyze traces, and contribute to a