Vehicle Integration and Software Test Lead

What you'll do...

• Define and own the vehicle integration roadmap and software test strategy, including validation plans, regression coverage, and vehicle-level test plans.
• Align integration and test activities with program milestones, hardware/software roadmaps, dependencies, and delivery timing.
• Lead cross-functional coordination between software, systems, electrical, mechanical, validation, manufacturing, technicians, operators, and suppliers.
• Serve as the central technical point of contact for vehicle integration and software test topics.
• Lead vehicle-level software integration and testing across major domains, including powertrain, battery management, charging, infotainment, body controls, ADAS, and connectivity.
• Partner with software and systems engineering teams to develop and execute embedded and vehicle-level test plans.
• Lead pre-merge and post-merge vehicle-level testing, regression strategy, dogfooding activities, and defect closure.
• Support software release planning and integration testing across a fleet of 150+ vehicles.
• Plan test fleet utilization, including retrofits, instrumentation, vehicle shipping, and offsite testing at locations such as winter testing, MPG, and APG.
• Coordinate prototype and production build bring-up, validation, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis.
• Establish integration and software test processes, tools, dashboards, and best practices for a growing engineering organization.
• Support calibration, tuning, data collection, logging, A2L, XCP/ATI usage, and vehicle attribute evaluations.
• Own software maturity gate sign-off for track release, road release, customer release readiness, and launch milestones.
• Document integration status, test results, risks, dependencies, and provide regular updates to engineering and program leadership.
• Escalate risks and recommend tradeoffs across quality, cost, schedule, and regression coverage.

You'll have...

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in automotive software, vehicle integration, software testing, systems engineering, or related technical roles.
• Strong understanding of vehicle architecture, embedded systems, software integration, and vehicle-level test workflows.
• Experience with CAN, LIN, Ethernet, diagnostics, flashing, and software release processes.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting vehicle systems, integration issues, and test failures.
• Experience developing or executing software test plans for vehicle or embedded systems.
• Familiarity with automotive development tools and processes.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to lead cross-functional technical discussions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.

Even better, you may have...

• Experience with prototype vehicle bring-up, test track validation, and production launch.
• Prior proving ground or track driver training.
• Experience in an EV startup or high-growth automotive environment.
• Knowledge of OTA updates, functional safety, cybersecurity, or diagnostics.
• Experience with model-based development or middleware integration.
• Familiarity with ISO 26262, FMVSS, ACC2, or related compliance standards.
• Experience building processes from the ground up in an early-stage organization.

Benefits

• 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.

Pay

This position is a leadership level 5 and ranges from $167,200-$316,600. 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.

Schedule

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.

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.

This response is AI-generated, for reference only.