Vehicle Hardware Engineering Leader - Integration

Product Development Opportunity At Ford

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world together. At Ford, we're all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves? Product Development uses design thinking & user experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that delight our customers. We bring innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life. We have opportunities around the world for you to contribute to advancements in autonomy, electrification, smart mobility technologies, and more!

Lead the VHE (Vehicle Hardware Engineering) integration team for chassis / powertrain for a forward model program. The integration team acts as the single point of contact for Program to Functional Engineering, ensuring and coordinating functional support and assisting functional teams in any way possible to remove roadblocks and get the job done. Integration is the process owner for the function.

In this position...

Strategic Systems Integration & Program Leadership

Provide strategic direction and oversight for systems integration within the functional departments, serving as the primary point of contact for program teams seeking functional engineering expertise and assistance, ensuring seamless collaboration, problem resolution, and the delivery of innovative solutions.

Priority Alignment & Team Coordination

Facilitate the alignment of priorities within the functional department and between program teams, coordinating actions with functional teams, providing clear direction and guidance to ensure successful achievement of program milestones.

Program Delivery & Process Excellence

Drive the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective solutions in accordance with program timelines, assuming overall program management responsibility for assigned systems, championing functional process excellence, and ensuring adherence to established targets.

Performance Management & Target Achievement

Manage processes, metrics, and deliverables to consistently meet program targets and timelines, tracking progress, implementing corrective actions, and ensuring overall program success.

Talent Development & Mentorship

Foster the professional growth and development of team members through coaching, mentoring, and providing opportunities for skill enhancement. Identify training needs, create development plans, and empower team members to reach their full potential, contributing to a high-performing and engaged workforce.

What you'll do...

Team Leadership & Alignment

Lead weekly integration team reviews, aligning program business with both program-specific goals and broader company objectives. Coach and provide one-on-one training as required to engineers regarding Ford Systems/ Process.

Talent Development & Growth

Guide and empower employees to enhance their technical expertise and advance their career paths. Facilitate skills and training plan discussions to improve competencies through targeted training and development initiatives.

Program Content Alignment & Resource Management

Ensure functional alignment with program assumptions (PDL) and support its change log through Program development, providing necessary updates and feedback for accurate verbiage and agreement on added content. Define and clearly communicate resource requirements to Program and Functional management, ensuring engineering design reviews and work streams are consistent with program timing and Engineering Focus Time (EFT).

Communication, Collaboration & Representation

Serve as the primary liaison between Functional/Core teams, attribute teams, and Program, ensuring effective communication and collaboration. Represent Functional teams at Program High Level forums (PST, SAR, Start-up) to facilitate communication and discussion of overall Program status. Chair weekly reviews to manage program business within the function and meet regularly with Functional Chiefs ahead of Milestones to review and prioritize program deliverables and pursue on time escalation of issues and help needed.

Target Management & Performance

Manage alignment between the Program team and Matched Pairs to the total VHE target. Manage, along with the Function, commodity planning, development of commodity complexity status, and part-level cost targets. Maintain a roadmap, action plan, and drive gap closure.

Sourcing & Commodity Planning

Support Functional To4 on cost processes, from Key Commodity Planning to lead receipt and tracking of SAL/CPA to final sign-off of commodity targets with supplier.

Quality Planning & Management

Develop FMA planning for VHE commodities in alignment with Program content and driven by Functional team analysis. Manage Quality deliverables (RCL, DFMEA, SCCAF, etc) to support Engineering Milestones, ensuring sign-off completion for cross-functional alignment.

Milestone Support & Declaration

Support Engineering Milestone reviews with VEV SO and Program teams, representing the Functional areas. Manage Functional Engineering teams to ensure they complete deliverable assessments on time (FEDE WB & GI). Ensure recovery plans are in place for late deliverables, enabling on-time and quality Milestone declaration. Attend design reviews on a priority/risk basis with Functional Management for Milestone overview and escalation purposes.

Data Integrity & System Alignment

Manage functional CAD to BOM alignment. Support Packaging and DPA workstreams, managing fallout from misalignment reports and E2KS issues. Ensure timely updates of required information in BOM, CAD, weight, and quality documents; as well as D/R sign-off for accuracy and robustness.

Design Verification & Compliance

Manage total Design Verification (DV) planning and timing to support program Milestone deliverables, facilitating Functional target alignment and trade-off processes. Confirm conformance to design rules, regulations and requirements; coordinate CDR documentation and sign off; and consolidate potential deviations. Coordinate the delivery of appropriate evidence for Functional Chief Engineering S/O.

Change Control Management

For Initial P-Release, support coordinating Functional Engineering groups, CAD team, Suppliers, and VO for on-time sign-off and release; report out of glidepath to ensure adherence to it. After P-Release, lead the functional concern process in WERS, supporting CR authorization as HW Integration Lead and lead Engineering on Notice release.

Issue Resolution

Lead issue resolution, prioritizing clear Root Cause identification. Coordinate cross-functional problem-solving and assist functional teams in removing roadblocks to drive containment actions. Ensure proper documentation of workplan maintaining AIMS system updated for on-time disposition and or escalation.

Prototype Build Support

Manage DCV MRD metrics, leading Engineering support. Co-lead with PM the coordination of part pedigree and procurement for bridging parts. Support the build process through vehicle sign-off. Manage binning of functional, assembly, and/or supplier quality issues raised during build and/or testing, and help coordinate issue resolution workstreams within AIMS with escalation as required.

Launch Support

Lead Engineering LQOS Metrics for all builds; including Change Control, BOM & Part Sign Off, Part Pedigree status, AIMS and OSM (Campaigns).

Part Pedigree Support

Support Part Pedigree Reviews at Management Level compliance to target, ensuring availability of Alerts with Engineering Support Plan and Risk Assessment.

On-site Build Support

Support Escalation / Management level forums for Production Plant Build events as HW Engineering Representative. Support binning sessions and manage issue resolution for Whiteboard & DEMS calls, as well as for Quality audits, such as PDI, FCPA, FER & R202.

TVM Implementation Support

Manage Launch added TVM actions no differently from planned program PDL content. Review Engineering validation and Implementation support plan with Management to ensure robustness and compliance to support launch metrics and industrialization plan. Coordinate TVM engineer resource to support Launch events for successful builds.

PVT Program Hand off

Support PVT and Functional Engineering on any stop ships that occur prior to Plant Launch Exit completed. Help coordinate immediate reaction and escalation with Functional and STA teams to address stop ship/build issues.

You'll have...

Minimum Requirements

+ BS degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering) or Related Field + 5+ years of experience in an automotive engineering environment. + Automotive Knowledge - Comprehensive knowledge of vehicle components and system functions. + Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

Even better, if you have …

Preferred

+ Working knowledge and experience with Ford Corporate procedures and processes: WERS, Global 8D, GPDS, Change Control, FEDE Workbench, AIMS, Integrator, E2KS, Part ordering. + Preferred experience in Program Management, Chassis / Powertrain Hardware Integration, and/or Chassis / Powertrain Systems. + 10+ years of experience in an automotive engineering environment preferred.

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you