Ford Motor Company

Director of Digital Systems, Architecture and Integration

Ford Motor Company United States
No longer accepting applications

About Ford

JOB DESCRIPTION

Come help build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. Ford Motor Company was built on the belief that freedom of movement drives human progress. It’s a belief that has fueled our passion to create great cars and trucks. And today, it drives our commitment to become the world’s most trusted mobility company, designing vehicles for a smart world that helps people move more safely, confidently, and freely. Ford is experiencing significant business transformation in an ever-changing propulsion and digital world, and we are looking for exceptional talent to join us on this journey.

About EVDD

Ford is redefining how it will build a better world for the future by creating a culture and opportunities where employees will capitalize on Ford’s excellence in designing and building the most iconic products while also helping develop the future of world-class connected EVs. Ford is transforming our global automotive business to scale EVs, strengthen operations, and unlock value. We will deliver the speed of a startup, with the deep expertise of high-volume production.

Responsibilities

The Opportunity

The Director of Digital Systems, Architecture & Integration is at the forefront of automotive innovation, shaping the future of vehicle systems. You'll be responsible for defining and leading the development of a revolutionary new automotive architecture, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in vehicle technology.

  • Visionary Leadership: Craft and execute a bold vision for the next generation of automotive platforms, driving innovation and differentiation in our products. This involves identifying emerging trends and technologies, envisioning how they can be integrated into vehicles, and establishing a roadmap for their implementation.
  • Team Leadership & Mentorship: Build and inspire a high-performing team of architects and engineers, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning. You'll lead by example, encouraging exploration, experimentation, and pushing boundaries.
  • Platform Architecture Definition: Define and maintain the architecture for our future automotive platforms, encompassing electrical, software, and communication systems. This involves making strategic decisions about the underlying technologies, ensuring the platform is scalable, modular, and adaptable to future needs.
  • Technology Roadmap Development: Establish a technology roadmap for platform architecture, identifying emerging trends and opportunities for integration into our products. This involves staying ahead of the curve, monitoring industry advancements, and strategically planning how to leverage new technologies to create competitive advantages.
  • System Integration Leadership: Drive integration efforts across vehicle systems, ensuring seamless communication and interoperability between hardware and software components. This involves orchestrating the integration of diverse systems, managing dependencies, and ensuring they work together seamlessly.
  • Performance Optimization: Define and implement strategies for optimizing the performance and efficiency of platform architectures, balancing competing requirements and constraints. This involves identifying performance bottlenecks, optimizing resource utilization, and ensuring the platform operates at peak efficiency.
  • Security and Reliability Champion: Establish robust security and reliability mechanisms for automotive platforms, protecting against cyber threats and ensuring system uptime and integrity. This involves implementing proactive security measures, proactively addressing potential vulnerabilities, and ensuring the platform is resilient against cyberattacks.
  • Vendor Management: Manage relationships with third-party vendors and technology partners, ensuring alignment with our platform architecture requirements and quality standards. This involves selecting strategic partners, ensuring their technologies integrate seamlessly, and maintaining a strong focus on quality.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements related to automotive platform architecture, including safety and cybersecurity standards. This involves staying abreast of evolving regulations, proactively implementing compliance measures, and ensuring the platform meets all necessary standards.
  • Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with other engineering teams, product management, and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and integration of platform architecture initiatives with broader company objectives. This involves ensuring open communication, aligning on shared goals, and facilitating collaboration across different teams.
  • Deep understanding of automotive systems and platforms: Expertise in embedded software, operating systems, middleware, and networks, with a strong focus on future technologies like cloud connectivity, artificial intelligence, and autonomous driving.
  • Proficiency in vehicle systems: Experience in connectivity, IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment), and ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems), with a clear understanding of how these systems will evolve and integrate within a future-proof architecture.
  • Strong technical background in system architecture, integration, and validation processes: Ability to design and optimize complex systems for optimal performance and reliability, with a focus on scalability, modularity, and adaptability.
  • Extensive knowledge of cybersecurity principles and best practices: With a track record of implementing robust security measures within feature systems to protect against cyber threats and ensure data integrity, with a particular focus on safeguarding the platform from emerging cyber threats.
  • In-depth understanding of over-the-air (OTA) update processes and technologies: Experience in managing and deploying software updates securely and efficiently to vehicles in the field, with a focus on ensuring secure and seamless updates for a complex and evolving platform.
  • Familiarity with automotive safety standards and regulations: Such as ISO 26262 and cybersecurity standards like ISO/SAE 21434, and the ability to apply these requirements to feature system development, anticipating future regulatory changes and incorporating them into the platform design.
  • Ability to define applications in an embedded system: With proficiency in developing software for embedded platforms and optimizing performance in resource-constrained environments, with a focus on utilizing the latest technologies and optimizing for future computing architectures.


Qualifications

Functional & Technical Knowledge

The Minimum Requirements We Seek

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in automotive systems engineering, with a focus on systems integration and automotive platform architecture.
  • Expert in vehicle systems
  • Deep technical expertise in software architecture, design patterns, and integration technologies.
  • The ability to envision the future of automotive technology and translate that vision into a strategic roadmap.
  • Proven ability to lead, motivate, and inspire high-performing teams to achieve ambitious goals.
  • A deep understanding of automotive systems and a strong technical foundation in software and hardware development.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, fostering collaboration across teams and with external partners.
  • The ability to thrive in a rapidly changing environment, adapt to new technologies, and overcome challenges.


Our Preferred Requirements

  • Masters degree preferred.
  • Experience in implementing embedded systems including for safety critical embedded systems.
  • Demonstrated time in role leading a large multi-disciplined organization focused on delivering development efficiency.
  • Excellent communication skills both up and down the organization to achieve the desired results.
  • Critical Thinking: Demonstrated examples of applying systemic thinking, logic and reasoning skills to be able to identify opportunities, alternative solutions or approaches to problems.
  • Organizational skill: Strong collaboration skills, clear and concise direction coupled with an ability to move within the organization to complete work and balance tradeoffs.
  • Strategic thinking: Demonstrated examples of driving strategy from concept through to production.


What You'll Receive In Return

As part of the Ford family, you’ll enjoy excellent compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous PTO, retirement, savings and stock investment plans, incentive compensation, and much more. You will experience a “Work from Anywhere” structure and the support needed to be successful in a remote environment. You’ll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at time of hire. Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Ford Motor Company is 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.
  • Seniority level

    Not Applicable
  • Employment type

    Full-time
  • Job function

    Engineering and Information Technology
  • Industries

    Motor Vehicle Manufacturing

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