Ford Motor Company

Mechatronic Systems Supervisor

Ford Motor Company • $115K — $218K *
Dearborn, MI 48126In-Person
Transportation
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, or Automotive Engineering (or related field)
  • 10+ years in systems engineering or mechatronic systems engineering in automotive or related fields
  • 2+ years in a leadership or supervisory role
  • Strong understanding of systems engineering lifecycle and requirements validation
  • Experience with DFMEA and functional safety cross-validation
  • Familiarity with requirements management tools and Agile methodologies
  • Experience with MATLAB/Simulink for control system modeling
  • Proficiency in physical prototype development and test execution

Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a team of Core Systems Engineers
  • Oversee the communication and coordination of the feature development process
  • Ensure thorough development of system definition and analysis deliverables
  • Approve logical requirements for completeness and traceability before handoff
  • Drive functional safety cross-validation in development activities
  • Own the handoff of logical requirements to Mechatronics application team
  • Lead the realization of physical prototypes and oversee test plans execution
  • Act as the primary liaison between engineering and program management teams

Benefits

  • Opportunity for professional growth and skills development
  • Engagement in cutting-edge mechatronic vehicle feature development
  • Hybrid work environment for better work-life balance
  • Collaborative and supportive team culture
  • Access to training on cutting-edge tools and methodologies
Full Job Description
Job Description

The Mechatronic Systems Supervisor leads and develops a team of Core Systems Engineers responsible for defining, developing, and validating the logical requirements for new and modified mechatronic vehicle features (e.g., electric power steering, e-actuators, motor/gear systems, sensor-actuator control loops, and closed-loop control systems). The team owns the feature definition process end-to-end - from stakeholder/use-case elicitation, through Concept of Operations, system definition, system analysis, and functional safety (DFMEA) development, to the generation and handoff of logical requirements to the Mechatronics application team.

Beyond requirements handoff, the Supervisor's team remains the primary stakeholder throughout the iterative hardware/software cascade and simulation activities performed by Mechatronics, leads the functional safety-to-DFMEA cross-validation checkpoint, and serves as the accountable owner of system/subsystem sign-off. The team also leads physical realization of the system - building mockups, fixtures, or 3D-printed prototypes - and develops and executes the associated test plans.

The Supervisor is accountable for the technical quality, timeliness, and process discipline of the team's requirements and sign-off deliverables, for resource planning and workload distribution across programs, and for the professional growth of direct reports. The role acts as the primary escalation point and program-facing leader for mechatronic feature development, balancing engineering rigor, program timing, and cross-functional relationships with the program, customer experience and vehicle architecture teams, the Mechatronics application team, and quality/supplier partners.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management
  • Directly supervise, coach, and develop Core Systems Engineers, setting individual and team goals aligned to program milestones and department objectives
  • Conduct performance management, including goal setting, performance reviews, skills development plans, and career growth conversations
  • Plan team capacity and staffing; assign engineers to features/programs based on workload, complexity, and development needs
  • Recruit, onboard, and mentor new engineers; identify training needs (e.g., requirements management tools, MATLAB/Simulink, ISO 26262, ASPICE, systems modeling) and coordinate skill-building
  • Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and systems thinking across the full feature lifecycle within the team

Feature Intake & Requirements Definition
  • Oversee team communication and coordination of the Feature development process
  • Guide the team's engagement with program, customer experience, and vehicle architecture stakeholders to understand the feature vision, define the problem, identify stakeholders, and collect use cases
  • Ensure the team develops sound Concept of Operations, system definition (structure, behavior, interfaces), and system analysis deliverables for each new or modified feature
  • Review and approve the team's logical requirements prior to handoff, ensuring completeness, testability, and traceability to use cases and system definition artifacts
  • Direct the team's DFMEA workstream in parallel with requirements development

Mechatronics Handoff, Cross-Validation & Sign-Off
  • Own the handoff of logical requirements to the Mechatronics application team, and ensure the team provides ongoing, iterative support as Mechatronics cascades requirements to hardware/software and develops MATLAB/Simulink models and virtual (HIL/SIL) verification
  • Drive the functional safety-to-DFMEA cross-validation checkpoint, ensuring hazards and high-severity failure modes identified by Core SE and Mechatronics are fully reconciled with no open gaps prior to sign-off
  • Serve as the accountable leader representing Core SE as the primary stakeholder in formal system/subsystem sign-off decisions, jointly with the Mechatronics team, at program gateways
  • Ensure open issues, non-conformances, and engineering waivers are tracked, risk-assessed, and resolved prior to sign-off
  • Maintain requirements traceability from use cases and system definition through logical requirements, verification, and sign-off

Physical Prototyping & Test Leadership
  • Lead the team's ownership of physical system realization, including mockups, fixtures, and 3D-printed/rapid prototypes
  • Oversee the development and execution of test plans against industry-standard test criteria to validate physical prototypes
  • Review test results and root-cause analyses, and ensure findings are fed back into requirements or design as needed
  • Ensure documentation of prototype builds, test plans, and results is complete and audit-ready

Cross-Functional & Program Leadership
  • Act as the primary liaison between the Core Systems Engineering team and program management, customer experience and vehicle architecture teams, the Mechatronics application team, quality, and suppliers
  • Represent the team at program gateway reviews, sign-off boards, and DFMEA workshops; communicate requirements status, sign-off status, technical risks, and mitigation plans to engineering management and program stakeholders
  • Ensure compliance with relevant standards (e.g., ISO 26262 Functional Safety, IATF 16949, ASPICE, SAE) throughout the feature lifecycle
  • Escalate and resolve resource, timing, and technical conflicts that affect program milestones
  • Champion continuous improvement of the feature definition, sign-off, and prototyping process


Qualifications

Required
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, or Automotive Engineering (or related field)
  • 10+ years of experience in systems engineering, requirements development, or mechatronic systems engineering within automotive or a related industry, including experience generating and owning logical/system requirements
  • 2+ years of experience leading, supervising, or mentoring engineers, either in a formal management role or as a technical lead
  • Strong understanding of the systems engineering lifecycle: stakeholder/use-case elicitation, Concept of Operations, system definition, system analysis, and requirements validation
  • Experience with DFMEA and cross-validation of functional safety findings against design failure modes
  • Familiarity with requirements management tools (e.g., Jama), systems/requirements traceability practices, and Agile/JIRA-based program tracking
  • Working knowledge of control system modeling (MATLAB/Simulink) and hardware/software cascade concepts sufficient to guide iterative collaboration with the Mechatronics application team
  • Experience overseeing physical prototype development (mockups, fixtures, 3D printing/rapid prototyping) and test plan development/execution
  • Strong people-leadership skills: coaching, performance management, workload planning, and conflict resolution
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present requirements, risk, and sign-off recommendations to senior program leadership and review boards
  • English proficiency

Preferred
  • Experience with ISO 26262 (Functional Safety) and ASPICE processes for mechatronic/embedded systems
  • Experience with SysML/Cameo or other formal systems modeling tools
  • Knowledge of vehicle network protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet, FlexRay)
  • Familiarity with statistical tolerance analysis, DFMEA/PFMEA, and reliability/durability testing methods
  • Prior experience in a feature ownership, release engineering, or sign-off authority role within an OEM or Tier 1 mechatronics environment
  • Experience with HIL/SIL test environments and tools (dSPACE, CANoe/CANalyzer, LabVIEW) to support technical dialogue with the Mechatronics team

Key Competencies
  • Systems thinking across the full feature lifecycle, from stakeholder need to physical validation
  • Strong ownership and accountability for requirements quality and sign-off decisions
  • Ability to synthesize complex, cross-disciplinary information into clear engineering and staffing decisions
  • Effective coaching and development of engineering talent
  • Skilled cross-functional collaborator across program, customer experience, vehicle architecture, Mechatronics, and quality teams
  • Sound judgment under program timing pressure while maintaining rigor on safety and quality

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

#VehicleHardwareEngineering LI-KH2

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company manufactures or distributes automobiles in addition to offering financial services. The company sells to dealerships for retail sales, and for sale to fleet customers, including commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments. Ford’s vehicle portfolio includes automobiles, buses, tractors, and trucks. Retail financing includes retail installment sale contracts for new and used vehicles, and direct financing leases for new vehicles to retail customers, government entities, daily rental car companies, and fleet customers. Finance receivables in the non-consumer portfolio include products offered to automotive dealers. Ford’s environmental initiatives include compressed natural gas, flexible fuel vehicles, electric drive vehicles, Hydrogen, PC power management, and so on. Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 and is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ford Motor Company Careers

Join the dynamic team at Ford Motor Company, a global leader in automotive innovation and manufacturing. At Ford, we are committed to driving human progress by providing outstanding vehicles and mobility solutions. This is an exciting time to become part of our inclusive team, where job opportunities abound and growth is not just a possibility, but a promise.

Work You’ll Do

At Ford Motor Company, you will collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry. Our professionals are at the forefront of automotive technology, leading projects that redefine transportation and sustainability. With a culture rooted in continuous improvement and respect for all, Ford offers a workplace where leadership, diversity training, and innovation are part of everyday life.

Join Our Market-Leading Team

Ford’s commitment to excellence is why we are a leader in the automotive sector. We offer a variety of career paths, from engineering to marketing, all designed to foster professional and personal growth. Our team benefits from Ford’s commitment to professional development and networking opportunities, ensuring that every team member can reach their full potential.

Innovative Work

Engage in work that makes a difference. Ford Motor Company is pioneering developments in electrification, autonomous vehicles, and smart mobility solutions. Our team of over 190,000 employees worldwide is dedicated to crafting experiences that improve the way the world moves.

Be Part of a Great Team

Working at Ford means more than just having a job; it means being part of a global family. Our culture promotes teamwork, integrity, and respect—values that underpin everything we do. We believe in nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment where every employee can thrive.

Future-Proof Your Career

Ford Motor Company is not just a great place to work; it’s a place to build a lasting career. Our employees enjoy competitive benefits, comprehensive health care, and retirement plans that rank among the best in the industry. We support career advancement through extensive training programs and hands-on experience in the latest automotive technologies.

Explore Job Opportunities and Internships

Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking for your next challenge or a student interested in an internship, Ford has opportunities that will harness your skills and ignite your ambition. Our hiring process is straightforward and respectful, designed to match your skills and passions with the right position.

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Learn more about Ford Motor Company
Size
183,000 employees
Market Cap
$44.8 billion
Industry
Manufacturing & Automotive
Net Income
-$1.2 billion
Founded
1903
5 Year Trend
-2.1%
Revenue
$127.1 billion
NASDAQ
F
* Ladders Estimates

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