Ford Motor Company

Reliability Data Scientist

Ford Motor Company • $115K — $218K *
Dearborn, MI 48126In-Person
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's Degree in Data Science, Statistics, Reliability Engineering, or a related field (or Bachelor's Degree with 5+ years of relevant experience)
  • 5+ years of experience in a data science role, particularly in manufacturing or automotive sectors
  • Strong understanding of probability distributions relevant to reliability analysis
  • Ability to comprehend Ford customer needs for product reliability and cost efficiency
  • Advanced programming skills in Python or R and SQL for data analysis

Responsibilities

  • Develop and deploy predictive models to forecast product component failures
  • Analyze complex datasets using advanced statistical methods
  • Collaborate with engineering teams to investigate root causes of product failures
  • Build data processing pipelines for real-time sensor data monitoring
  • Provide reliability-focused recommendations during product design phases
  • Design dashboards to track key reliability performance metrics
  • Utilize simulations to evaluate system-level reliability based on component data

Benefits

  • Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage
  • Flexible family care, paid parental leave, and subsidized childcare
  • Family-building benefits including adoption and fertility support
  • Employee vehicle discount programs
  • Tuition assistance for further education
  • Active employee resource groups for community and support
  • Paid time off for volunteering and generous holiday schedule
  • Options for additional vacation time through purchase
Full Job Description
Job Description

At Ford, Reliability is at the core of everything we do. The Reliability Data Scientist is a specialized role that sits at the intersection of engineering, statistics, and machine learning. In this position, you will leverage large-scale datasets-including telematics, warranty claims, manufacturing logs, and sensor data-to predict product life cycles, identify failure modes, and drive proactive engineering improvements. Your goal is to transform data into actionable insights that improve product quality, reduce warranty costs, and enhance the customer experience.

Responsibilities

  • Predictive Modeling: Develop and deploy statistical models to predict component and system failures. This includes utilizing survival analysis, degradation modeling, and accelerated life testing (ALT) data.
  • Statistical Analysis: Apply advanced statistical methods to analyze censored data. You will frequently perform Weibull analysis and scale analysis to large data sets.
  • Root Cause Investigation: Partner with Reliability and Quality Engineering teams to identify the "why" behind failures using anomaly detection and correlation analysis on fleet-wide data.
  • Telematics & IoT Integration: Build pipelines to process high-frequency sensor data from the field to monitor real-time "health scores" for complex systems.
  • Design for Reliability (DfR): Provide data-driven recommendations to design teams during the development phase to ensure new products meet or exceed reliability targets.
  • Automated Reporting: Design and maintain dashboards that track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as Mean Time Between Failures, Mean Time To Failure, and Repairs per Thousand.
  • Simulation: Use Monte Carlo simulations to estimate system-level reliability based on individual component performance and redundancy configurations.


Qualifications

Required Qualifications
  • Education: Master's Degree in Data Science, Statistics, Reliability Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related quantitative field (or a Bachelor's Degree in a related field with 5+ years of equivalent professional experience)
  • Experience: 5+ years of experience in a data science role, preferably within manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, or energy sectors.
  • Statistical Expertise: Deep understanding of probability distributions (Normal, Lognormal, Exponential, and Weibull) and their applications in reliability.
  • Customer Focus: Understanding Ford customers and their desire for dependability, uptime and low total cost of ownership.

Technical Skills
  • Programming: Proficiency in Python (Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, PyMC3/Stan) or R (survival, flexsurv).
  • Data Management: Advanced SQL skills for querying large relational databases. Experience with Big Data tools (Spark, Hadoop, or Snowflake) is highly preferred.
  • Reliability Tools: Familiarity with industry-standard software such as ReliaSoft (Weibull++, BlockSim) or JMP.
  • Mathematics: Strong grasp of calculus-based statistics, specifically regarding hazard and reliability functions
  • Visualization: Experience with Tableau, Power BI, or Matplotlib/Seaborn for communicating complex statistical trends to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Physics of Failure: Knowledge of Physics of Failure (PoF) and how it integrates with empirical data models.

Soft Skills & Competencies
  • Analytical Rigor: A methodical approach to problem-solving and a high degree of attention to detail regarding data integrity.
  • Cross-functional Collaboration: Ability to bridge the gap between data science and traditional hardware engineering.
  • Communication: Capable of translating complex mathematical findings into business relevant strategies


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, vision and prescription drug coverage
  • Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare 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.


This position is leadership level 6 and ranges from $115,500-$218,100.
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.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Domestic relocation is available for this position.

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.

#LI-Hybrid

#LI-PW1

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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Join Our Team Search open positions that match your skills and interests. We look for passionate, curious, creative, and solution-driven team players. Ready to start your journey with Ford? Prepare your resume, sharpen your interview skills, and become part of a company that’s building the future of transportation.

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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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