Staff Diagnostics Engineer

Imagine the possibilities at Ford! Great ideas evolve into extraordinary products and customer experiences. When you bring passion and dedication to your job, there's no telling what you can accomplish. The Digital Manufacturing Systems team is seeking a highly motivated Staff Diagnostics Engineer to help imagine, invent, and implement the technology used to manufacture the next generation of Ford vehicles.
Our environment fosters product innovation, rapid iteration, and a significant amount of autonomy. Our development stack is diverse and includes a wide range of technologies, including low-level and server-side programming. As a Staff Diagnostics Engineer, you will be expected to implement groundbreaking solutions on hardware that has yet to be released.
Our team values fun, camaraderie, learning, and collaboration, and we are looking for someone who shares these values. We hold ourselves and our solutions to the highest standards, which we maintain through constructive code reviews, brainstorming sessions, and pair programming when appropriate. Additionally, we prioritize personal relationships and take the time to get to know each other and our partners.
Sound good? We would love to hear from you.
Design Diagnostic Software: Develop and design software solutions that facilitate the diagnosis of vehicle systems and components, ensuring effective troubleshooting capabilities.
Implement Diagnostic Protocols: Create and implement industry-standard diagnostic protocols (such as OBD-II) to enable communication between diagnostic tools and vehicle systems.
Conduct Root Cause Analysis: Investigate and analyze faults within vehicle systems to determine root causes and provide recommendations for resolution or improvement.
Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams: Work closely with hardware engineers, systems engineers, and other software teams to integrate diagnostics into vehicle control systems and ensure holistic vehicle functionality.
Develop Testing and Validation Processes: Create rigorous testing and validation processes for diagnostic software to ensure reliability and compliance with automotive standards.
Document Diagnostic Solutions: Maintain comprehensive documentation of diagnostic software design, processes, and methodologies to facilitate knowledge sharing and future maintenance.
Stay Current with Automotive Standards: Keep up to date with the latest industry standards, regulations, and trends in automotive diagnostics to ensure compliance and best practices.
Mentor and Support Team Members: Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and team members on diagnostic software development and best practices.
Analyze Diagnostic Data: Collect and analyze data from vehicle diagnostics to identify trends, recurring issues, and opportunities for software enhancements.
Enhance Diagnostic Tools: Continuously assess and improve diagnostic tools and software capabilities to increase efficiency and effectiveness in troubleshooting vehicle issues.
Collaborate on Vehicle Development: Participate in the vehicle development lifecycle, providing insights and expertise on diagnostics during the design, development, and testing phases.
Customer and Stakeholder Interaction: Engage with customers or stakeholders to gather feedback on diagnostic software and address specific diagnostic needs or issues.
Report and Present Findings: Communicate diagnostic findings and software performance effectively to technical teams, management, and stakeholders.
Support Incident Response: Assist in responding to critical incidents related to vehicle diagnostics by providing expert support to identify and resolve issues quickly.
Prototype and Simulate Diagnostic Scenarios: Develop prototypes or simulations to test diagnostic software in various scenarios, ensuring robustness and reliability under different conditions.
These expectations highlight the multifaceted nature of the role and the importance of collaboration, technical expertise, and continuous improvement in developing effective vehicle diagnostics software.
Educational Background:
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related field.

Experience:
Significant experience (typically 5-10 years) in software development, with a focus on automotive systems and diagnostics.
Proven experience in developing diagnostic software for vehicles, including familiarity with diagnostic protocols such as OBD-II, UDS, or J1939.

Programming Skills:
Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in automotive applications, such as C, C#, Python, or Java.
Cloud Infrastructure including CI/CD Deployment and DevSecOps.

Knowledge of Automotive Systems:
Strong understanding of vehicle architecture, including familiarity with electronic control units (ECUs), sensors, actuators, and communication protocols.
Knowledge of automotive standards and regulations, such as ISO 26262 (functional safety) and AUTOSAR.

Diagnostic Tools and Software:
Experience with diagnostic tools, software environments, and frameworks used in the automotive industry (e.g., Vector, ETAS, or similar).
Familiarity with vehicle communication networks (e.g., CAN, LIN, Ethernet) and their diagnostic capabilities.

Problem-Solving Skills:
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex systems and identify root causes of issues effectively.

Testing and Validation:
Experience in developing and executing testing and validation strategies for diagnostic software, including automated testing methodologies.

Project Management:
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities, demonstrating effective time management and organizational skills.

Collaboration and Communication:
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and present findings to stakeholders.
Experience mentoring and providing guidance to junior engineers and team members.

Continuous Learning:
Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and staying updated on industry trends, technologies, and best practices in automotive diagnostics and software engineering.

Soft Skills:
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment and foster collaboration.
Adaptability and willingness to embrace new challenges and technologies.

These qualifications ensure that a Staff Vehicle Diagnostics Software Engineer possesses the necessary technical knowledge and experience, as well as the interpersonal skills required to thrive in a dynamic engineering environment.
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, and prescription drug coverage 
• Flexible family care, parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care 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. 

This position is a salary grade 6.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here:https://fordcareers.co/LL6HTHD

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. 

Relocation assistance 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 committed to a culturally diverse workforce. 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. 

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