Ford Motor Company · 1 week ago
Staff Vehicle Test Engineer
Palo Alto, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff
8+ years expFord Motor Company is dedicated to delivering a fully electric transportation future through its Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team. The Staff Vehicle Test Engineer will develop and execute vehicle-level test plans, lead regression testing, and mentor junior engineers while ensuring the readiness of prototype vehicles for software testing.
AutomotiveAutonomous VehiclesManufacturingTransportation
Responsibilities
Develop and execute vehicle-level test plans for pre-merge and post-merge software releases
Lead daily regression testing loops (startup/shutdown, diagnostics, CAN/Ethernet communication, domain feature smoke tests)
Operate and maintain prototype vehicles, ensuring readiness for software testing and proving ground campaigns
Collect, analyze, and manage vehicle log data, providing clear feedback to integration and domain software teams
Debug and triage software/hardware integration issues, working closely with integration engineers and suppliers
Support vehicle bring-up: ECU flashing, network validation, wiring checks, and basic diagnostics
Define and enforce test processes and standards to ensure consistent execution across vehicles and sites
Mentor junior vehicle test engineers/operators on procedures, safety, and best practices
Partner with release and tools engineers to automate test result reporting and regression tracking
Support extended test campaigns at proving grounds, winter test sites, and internal demos
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering (or equivalent experience)
8+ years of experience in automotive vehicle-level testing or integration, with at least some exposure to multiple domains (chassis, powertrain, ADAS, body, infotainment)
Strong hands-on experience with prototype vehicles, including flashing ECUs, configuring networks, and running test campaigns
Proficiency in automotive communication tools (Vector CANoe, CANalyzer, CANape; or equivalent)
Experience analyzing and managing vehicle logs (MDF, BLF, or other formats)
Solid understanding of diagnostics (UDS, OBD-II, DoIP) and ECU validation
Comfortable with scripting (Python, MATLAB, or similar) for test automation and data analysis
Proven ability to debug issues at the system level, bridging software and hardware boundaries
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, prototype-heavy environment with changing priorities
Willingness to work flexible hours (afternoon/evening/weekend shifts) as needed during test campaigns
Willingness to travel for proving ground and winter test campaigns
Preferred
Familiarity with safety and validation processes (ISO 26262, ASPICE) is a plus
Benefits
Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care 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.
Company
Ford Motor Company
We don't just make history -- we make the future.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Ford Motor Company has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
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Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (980)
2024 (810)
2023 (662)
2022 (970)
2021 (630)
2020 (364)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$16.23BKey Investors
US Department of EnergySoros Fund Management
2025-07-29Post Ipo Debt· $3B
2023-08-17Post Ipo Debt· $4B
2023-06-22Debt Financing· $9.2B
Leadership Team
James Farley
Chief Executive Officer
Efrat Barit
COO
Recent News
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