Staff Vehicle Product Management Engineer

Ford Motor Company

. Define and lead the system-level validation strategy for embedded software and vehicle systems from early development through program release .

Posted 10/26/2026full-timeLong Beach • California • United StatesLead💰 $150,200 - $283,500 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in defining and leading system-level validation strategies for embedded software and vehicle systems, with a strong focus on collaboration, communication, and mentoring within cross-functional teams. Proficient in managing validation schedules, resources, and ensuring compliance with automotive testing standards and safety processes.

Highest-signal resume keywords

System-Level Validation StrategyAutomotive Systems ExperienceEmbedded Software KnowledgeTest Automation ProficiencyAutomotive SPICE Compliance

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

System-Level TestingRequirements TraceabilityDefect TriageTest Case DevelopmentRoot-Cause AnalysisValidation Metrics MonitoringElectrical Schematics InterpretationAutomated Test ExecutionCross-Domain IntegrationHIL Platform Familiarity

Soft Skills

CollaborationCommunicationMentoringLeadershipContinuous Improvement

Tools & Technologies

VectorDSPACECANLINEthernetFlexRayDBCLDFARXMLContinuous Integration Workflows

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in EngineeringISO 26262 KnowledgeAutomotive SPICE Knowledge

Industry Keywords

Embedded SoftwareVehicle E/E ArchitectureAutomotive Testing StandardsValidation RequirementsProgram Milestones

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Define and lead the system-level validation strategy for embedded software and vehicle systems from early development through program release
Own the system-level test and validation plan, aligning requirements, risks, program objectives, and timing
Partner with systems, feature, software, and attribute owners to establish requirements traceability, test coverage, and acceptance criteria
Identify validation gaps and ensure test plans, test cases, and scripts address functional and non-functional requirements
Lead validation across integrated systems, ECUs, software, interfaces, and vehicle domains
Oversee integration, system, and acceptance testing across system boundaries and operating conditions
Coordinate test resources, environments, and schedules to meet program milestones
Ensure test results, risks, and release-readiness assessments are documented and communicated
Lead cross-functional investigations, including root-cause analysis, fix verification, and regression prevention
Analyze test results and provide actionable feedback to development teams
Establish and monitor metrics for test coverage, execution, defect trends, and validation effectiveness
Lead, mentor, and develop validation and verification engineers; assign work based on priorities and development needs
Manage customer validation requirements and present progress, results, and risks to senior leaders and stakeholders
Foster accountability, continuous improvement, innovation, quality, and safety

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field
12+ years of experience in automotive systems, embedded software, or system validation
Experience leading or mentoring engineers and managing competing program priorities
Strong collaboration and communication skills across hardware, software, systems engineering, and program teams
Experience defining and delivering system-level validation strategies from concept through production
Experience managing validation schedules, resources, or lab capacity
Familiarity with vehicle testing standards and customer-specific validation requirements
Strong understanding of vehicle E/E architecture, embedded software, control systems, and cross-domain integration
Experience with system-level testing across benches, HIL platforms, and vehicles; familiarity with tools such as Vector or dSPACE
Knowledge of automotive networks and related formats, such as CAN, LIN, Ethernet, FlexRay, DBC, LDF, and ARXML
Experience developing, reviewing, or guiding automated and manual test execution, including smoke and regression testing
Experience with test automation, requirements traceability, defect triage, and system-level debugging
Ability to interpret electrical and logical schematics, network diagrams, and wiring or harness drawings
Working knowledge of Automotive SPICE, ISO 26262, or other applicable development and safety processes
Experience integrating validation and regression testing into continuous integration workflows
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States

Benefits

Comp & perks

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
Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments
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
Visa sponsorship is available for this position