Sr. Systems Development Engineer
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI, United States
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.
In this position you will interact with feature owners and software development teams to scope and define robust system interface and software requirements, with a strong emphasis on proactive Design Failure Mode Effects and Analysis (DFMEA). This includes deriving functional level requirements from feature level requirements, and utilizing a model-based systems engineering approach with Behavior Driven Development methodology to define individual functions, use cases, sequence diagrams, and test cases.
Responsibilities
Execute functional partitioning of features, focusing on identifying and isolating potential failure points and ensuring fault tolerance.
Develop robust and fault‑tolerant interfaces between allocable classes, implementing safeguards against failure propagation.
Specify comprehensive system‑level and ECU software requirements, defining expected behavior, error handling, and failure recovery mechanisms based on DFMEA principles.
Adopt MBSE methodologies for specification development, leveraging modeling and simulation for early failure mode identification and mitigation.
Use Requirement Management tools for authoring, change management, and traceability to DFMEA activities and reliability targets.
Apply BDD with Gherkin syntax to develop scenarios and test cases, including negative test cases and failure scenarios from DFMEA analyses.
Lead and perform comprehensive DFMEA activities throughout the product lifecycle to ensure robust, reliable software and system designs.
Manage cross‑functional meetings with Feature/Function Owners, module owners, HMI teams, and the IVI Platform team to develop reliability‑focused integration strategies.
Perform rigorous system compatibility analysis and impact assessment for IVI feature deployment, mitigating potential failure modes introduced by new architectures or programs.
Identify, analyze, and resolve complex technical issues at the system and interface level, applying systematic root‑cause analysis and design changes to prevent recurrence and enhance reliability.
Qualifications
Minimum of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer/Software/Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
5+ years of experience with electrical architecture, electrical systems, and automotive network topologies, with a strong background in Systems Engineering and reliability principles.
5+ years of experience in robust requirement development, verification, and validation, focusing on designing for reliability and testability, and component/vehicle level testing for failure modes.
Proven experience in systematically analyzing and resolving complex systems issues using root‑cause analysis and design solutions for failure avoidance.
In‑depth knowledge of CAN, LIN, and Ethernet‑based In‑Vehicle Network protocols and processes, including failure modes and diagnostic strategies.
Knowledge of SOA‑based API design, fault tolerance, and error handling in distributed systems.
Knowledge of Human Factors and HMI, including usability, error prevention, and graceful degradation in failure scenarios.
Strong knowledge of Requirements Engineering (INCOSE, EARS, BDD/Gherkin) and translating reliability and safety requirements into actionable specifications.
Demonstrated knowledge and application of DFMA, FMEA, FTA, and other reliability engineering techniques.
Knowledge of UML or SysML for modeling system behavior and potential failure modes.
Experience with C++, Python, Java for developing robust, fault‑tolerant software.
Familiarity with Automotive Infotainment Systems or other automotive domains, understanding interfaces, protocols, and common failure mechanisms.
Optional advanced knowledge (preferred but not required):
Network tools (VehicleSpy, CANalyzer, CANoe, ValueCAN, Ethernet tools)
Requirement authoring tools (VSEM, DOORS, JAMA, Polarion)
UML/SysML tools (IBM Rational Rhapsody, MagicDraw)
Version control and cloud storage (Git, GitHub)
VSCode, technical writing, Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban), MS Office Suite
You may not check every box, but if you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply.
Benefits
Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp‑up programs, subsidized backup 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
Compensation
This position is a salary grade 8 with a range of $99,100‑166,200. Final determination will be based on candidate skills and experience.
Additional Information
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and employment eligibility verification 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.
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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.
In this position you will interact with feature owners and software development teams to scope and define robust system interface and software requirements, with a strong emphasis on proactive Design Failure Mode Effects and Analysis (DFMEA). This includes deriving functional level requirements from feature level requirements, and utilizing a model-based systems engineering approach with Behavior Driven Development methodology to define individual functions, use cases, sequence diagrams, and test cases.
Responsibilities
Execute functional partitioning of features, focusing on identifying and isolating potential failure points and ensuring fault tolerance.
Develop robust and fault‑tolerant interfaces between allocable classes, implementing safeguards against failure propagation.
Specify comprehensive system‑level and ECU software requirements, defining expected behavior, error handling, and failure recovery mechanisms based on DFMEA principles.
Adopt MBSE methodologies for specification development, leveraging modeling and simulation for early failure mode identification and mitigation.
Use Requirement Management tools for authoring, change management, and traceability to DFMEA activities and reliability targets.
Apply BDD with Gherkin syntax to develop scenarios and test cases, including negative test cases and failure scenarios from DFMEA analyses.
Lead and perform comprehensive DFMEA activities throughout the product lifecycle to ensure robust, reliable software and system designs.
Manage cross‑functional meetings with Feature/Function Owners, module owners, HMI teams, and the IVI Platform team to develop reliability‑focused integration strategies.
Perform rigorous system compatibility analysis and impact assessment for IVI feature deployment, mitigating potential failure modes introduced by new architectures or programs.
Identify, analyze, and resolve complex technical issues at the system and interface level, applying systematic root‑cause analysis and design changes to prevent recurrence and enhance reliability.
Qualifications
Minimum of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer/Software/Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
5+ years of experience with electrical architecture, electrical systems, and automotive network topologies, with a strong background in Systems Engineering and reliability principles.
5+ years of experience in robust requirement development, verification, and validation, focusing on designing for reliability and testability, and component/vehicle level testing for failure modes.
Proven experience in systematically analyzing and resolving complex systems issues using root‑cause analysis and design solutions for failure avoidance.
In‑depth knowledge of CAN, LIN, and Ethernet‑based In‑Vehicle Network protocols and processes, including failure modes and diagnostic strategies.
Knowledge of SOA‑based API design, fault tolerance, and error handling in distributed systems.
Knowledge of Human Factors and HMI, including usability, error prevention, and graceful degradation in failure scenarios.
Strong knowledge of Requirements Engineering (INCOSE, EARS, BDD/Gherkin) and translating reliability and safety requirements into actionable specifications.
Demonstrated knowledge and application of DFMA, FMEA, FTA, and other reliability engineering techniques.
Knowledge of UML or SysML for modeling system behavior and potential failure modes.
Experience with C++, Python, Java for developing robust, fault‑tolerant software.
Familiarity with Automotive Infotainment Systems or other automotive domains, understanding interfaces, protocols, and common failure mechanisms.
Optional advanced knowledge (preferred but not required):
Network tools (VehicleSpy, CANalyzer, CANoe, ValueCAN, Ethernet tools)
Requirement authoring tools (VSEM, DOORS, JAMA, Polarion)
UML/SysML tools (IBM Rational Rhapsody, MagicDraw)
Version control and cloud storage (Git, GitHub)
VSCode, technical writing, Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban), MS Office Suite
You may not check every box, but if you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply.
Benefits
Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp‑up programs, subsidized backup 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
Compensation
This position is a salary grade 8 with a range of $99,100‑166,200. Final determination will be based on candidate skills and experience.
Additional Information
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and employment eligibility verification 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.
#J-18808-Ljbffr