Thermal Vehical Test Technician

Lincoln Motor Company; Long Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Parental leave

Employee discounts

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Ford Motor Company seeks an experienced Vehicle Thermal Test Technician to develop and validate thermal systems for electric vehicles. You will work with thermal, mechanical, and software engineers, setting up test configurations, collecting data, and troubleshooting performance.

The role demands mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills and experience with test equipment. You will contribute to instrumented test setups, leak checks, and data-quality verification, in a hybrid environment

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in automotive, EV, thermal systems, lab testing, manufacturing, or related technical field.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, and technical documentation.
• Experience using standard electrical and mechanical test equipment.

Responsibilities

• Build, configure, and maintain thermal test setups for full vehicle and components.
• Perform testing on Vehicle HVAC, vehicle components, electric motors, heat pumps, radiators, chillers and coolant loops.
• Install and troubleshoot instrumentation including thermocouples and RTDs, pressure transducers, flow meters, sensors.
• Operate thermal walk-in/drive in chambers, chillers, pumps, heaters, compressors, and other lab equipment.
• Assemble and modify coolant, refrigerant, and air-flow loops for testing.
• Document test configurations, procedures, failures, and corrective actions.
• Communicate test results and issues clearly to engineering teams.

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Data acquisition

Electrical troubleshooting

Lab operations

Automotive testing

Tools

Thermocouples

RTDs

Pressure transducers

CANalyzer

NI LabVIEW

DAQ systems

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...

We are seeking an experienced Vehicle Thermal Test Technician to support the development, testing, and validation of thermal systems for electric vehicles. This role will work closely with thermal, mechanical, and software engineers to build test setups, perform lab operations, test vehicle components, collect data, and troubleshoot thermal system performance.

The candidate must have strong mechanical aptitude, experience with test equipment, instrumentation, and an interest in electric vehicle technology. Experience with coolant systems, HVAC/refrigeration, high-voltage systems, data acquisition, or automotive testing is preferred.

As an EV Thermal Test Technician, you will play a hands-on role in turning engineering designs into validated hardware. You will be responsible for setting up various thermal tests, operating test equipment, troubleshooting unexpected results, and providing engineers with reliable data to improve EV thermal-system performance.

What you'll do...

• Build, configure, and maintain thermal test setups for full vehicle and components
• Perform testing on Vehicle HVAC, vehicle components, electric motors, heat pumps, radiators, chillers and coolant loops.
• Install and troubleshoot instrumentation including:
• Thermocouples and RTDs
• Pressure transducers
• Flow meters
• Temperature and humidity sensors
• Voltage/current sensors
• Operate thermal walk-in/drive in chambers, chillers, pumps, heaters, compressors, and other laboratory equipment.
• Assemble and modify coolant, refrigerant, and air-flow loops for testing.
• Perform system leak checks, pressure checks, vacuum procedures, and functional verification.
• Execute test procedures and maintain accurate test records.
• Collect and review test data
• Work with engineers to troubleshoot thermal system and test equipment issues.
• Support installation and removal of instrumentation on prototype vehicles and components.
• Assist with vehicle thermal testing in laboratory and road-test environments.
• Perform preventative maintenance and calibration checks on test equipment.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe test environment.
• Follow established high-voltage, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and laboratory safety procedures.
• Document test configurations, procedures, failures, and corrective actions.
• Communicate test results and issues clearly to engineering teams.

You'll have 2+ years of experience in automotive, EV, thermal systems, laboratory testing, manufacturing, or a related technical field.

Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.

Ability to read mechanical drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, and technical documentation.

Experience using standard electrical and mechanical test equipment.

Comfortable working with hand tools, power tools, plumbing/fittings, and test fixtures.

Basic understanding of temperature, pressure, flow, heat transfer, and fluid systems.

Ability to accurately follow detailed test procedures and record test data.

Strong attention to detail and ability to identify unexpected test behavior.

Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with engineers and technicians.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Even better, you may have...

Experience working with EVs or high-voltage systems.

Experience with liquid-cooled systems and coolant loops.

Experience with automotive HVAC or refrigeration systems.

Experience with NI LabVIEW, NI DAQ, CANalyzer, or similar data-acquisition systems.

Familiarity with CAN/LIN communication and automotive diagnostic tools.

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
• 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
• Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day

This position is a salary grade 6 and ranges from $74,300-$124,500.

This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $86,600-$144,900.

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.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR

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

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