Job Information
Ford Motor Company Staff Thermal Controls Engineer in Palo Alto, California
Ford EVDD is responsible for developing the key technologies and capabilities – such as EV platforms, batteries, e-motors, inverters, charging and recycling – to create ground-up breakthrough electric vehicles. Join a team of knowledgeable and passionate engineers striving to build robust and safety-rated embedded systems to solve the most relevant problems in vehicle electrification. Being on the Ford EVDD team means building the future as Ford’s center of innovation and growth through electric and connected vehicles and services.
Thermal systems span a diverse range of critical customer-facing attributes, hardware, and software domains. For example, our work keeps occupants comfortable, enables full vehicle powertrain capability, and empowers battery fast charging – in all weather conditions. We strive to balance heating/cooling performance, energy consumption, cost, reliability, NVH, and packaging trade-offs through physics-driven, cross-functional engineering collaboration. We work closely with mechanical engineers, aerodynamicists, battery and powertrain experts, electrical engineers, embedded/controls engineers, and more through all phases of vehicle development. Your role: bridge the gap between what’s possible (models/simulation) and reality by building a world-class controls framework to deliver an exceptional customer experience in all situations that may arise. Your mastery of controls will balance many critical customer-facing performance attributes, e.g., vehicle range or efficiency, occupant comfort/climate control, NVH, and more.
Create control/estimation algorithms to support a broad thermal management scope: climate control, battery, powertrain, heat pump/refrigeration system, car computers, and more.
Deliver high-quality C code in a real-time embedded environment.
Write unit, SIL, and HIL test cases to ensure proper functionality.
Work closely with test and integration engineers to debug your control algorithms at the bench and vehicle level.
Adapt or create reduced-order thermal systems models to suit control-focused development/refinement workflows.
Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and firmware engineers to execute control strategies.
Develop fault detections and reaction strategies for seamless customer experience.
Develop and continuously improve models to compare alternative control algorithms quantitatively across many key metrics (cost, efficiency, performance, complexity, etc.)
Monitor fleet telemetry and use data analysis to close the loop on software quality and help ideate new software features.
Minimum qualifications
Master’s degree in electrical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Computer Science, with evidence of exceptional ability, or equivalent
3+ years of experience in developing control algorithms and applying them to physical systems.
High proficiency in programming experience using Python or Embedded C/C++ Strong foundational background in control theory, system dynamics, and model-based design.
Highly collaborative mindset and strong communication skills
Experience with JIRA/Confluence or a similar system for tracking inputs/results.
Hands-on experience in hardware bring-up, system debugging, and code optimization.
Knowledge of electrical engineering fundamentals including circuit analysis and design
Preferred qualifications:
A strong understanding of linear systems, state-estimation/observers is a plus.
Familiarity with thermal control algorithms, and experience implementing it on an embedded system.
Familiarity with refrigeration systems (compressors, heat exchangers, valves, sensors,charge and oil management) and HVAC systems.
Experience with automotive communication protocols and stacks (CAN, LIN, ethernet, UDS, etc.)
Knowledge of microcontroller peripherals such as ADC, GPIO, PWM, and SPI, and experience in sensors and digital signal processing
Experience with data management tools / using fleet data to guide design.
Proficiency in C and C++ and scripting skills in at least one common language (Python, Perl, Shell)
Experience developing control algorithms for thermal systems using modeling tools of various scales (Python, MATLAB/Simulink, or similar)
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’ll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition.
https://corporate.ford.com/content/dam/corporate/us/en-us/documents/careers/2024-benefits-and-comp-LL6-sal-plan-2.pdf
If you have what it takes to help us redefine the future of mobility, we’d love to have you join us.
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. Visa sponsorship is available for this position.
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.
Requisition ID : 27934