Ford Racing Powertrain Simulation Engineer

Racing is where our story began.

In 1901, Henry Ford climbed into a car he built himself—"Sweepstakes"—and beat America's most famous driver. He wasn't a racer, but he had to win. He did. Ford Motor Company was born from that victory.

That fighting spirit lives on in Ford Racing today. We're the engineers, strategists, and competitors who bring Ford's track-tested edge into every vehicle we build. Every track, every stage, every proving ground—that's where we prove ourselves.

The result: one of the world's most iconic brands, legendary nameplates, and a team unmatched in the industry.

Our mantra: Race to win, engineer to lead.

If you're a competitor, innovator, or performance obsessive, Ford Racing is where you belong. Help us write the next chapter.

In this position…

You will build the powertrain plant models and simulation tools that power key decisions across Ford Racing's production and motorsports programs. That means supporting concept exploration for future vehicles, helping program teams size and select powertrain hardware, and providing plant models that enable controls and calibration development, lap time prediction, drive cycle evaluation, and more.

This role is hybrid and requires at least 4 days per week onsite in Allen Park, MI.

Responsibilities

What you'll do…

• Use Matlab/Simulink (and other programs) to develop vehicle, powertrain, and component-level CAE models to analyze dynamic system performance and complex system interactions. Models will span the entire vehicle, including ICE (internal combustion engines), batteries, electric machines, transmissions, driveline, and tires.
• Manage integration of powertrain plant models with other multidisciplinary models — including vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, vehicle controls, and external partner models — to create cohesive simulation environments. Model applications include desktop simulation, model-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and driver-in-the-loop testing to develop controls and calibrations for future and existing racing and road vehicles.
• Work cross-functionally with controls, calibration, test, and program engineers. Design and perform concept vehicle simulation studies to develop hardware and vehicle requirements recommendations for program and systems engineering teams. Design and implement plant models with sufficient fidelity to support controls and calibration development. Use driver and car feedback to develop driver-in-the-loop and dyno control plant models that replicate behaviors observed from track driving. Design models and tools to optimize powertrain hardware and control parameters to meet targets.
• Plan and perform hardware testing using test vehicles, dynamometers, labs, or external supplier services to develop, parameterize, and validate plant models. Develop analytical data processing software tools to estimate and optimize model parameters to improve and maintain the correlation between models and development hardware. Deploy trackside tools to analyze on-track powertrain performance and identify performance deltas relative to the model. Utilize machine learning, AI, and optimization techniques to characterize complex systems and reduce model calibration effort.

Qualifications

You'll have…

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or an equivalent technical degree.
• 2 years' experience developing dynamic system models for simulation and control design.
• 2 years' experience in the design, development, and validation of real-time control systems in both modeling environments and prototype hardware.
• Understanding of automotive powertrain (including conventional, hybrid electric vehicle, and battery electric vehicle) systems and controls, general physics, thermos and fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and vehicle dynamics, with fundamental knowledge of general dynamics, hydraulics, electric machines, batteries, internal combustion engines, and mechatronic actuators.
• 2 years of demonstrated experience using Matlab/Simulink for system modeling, simulation, data analysis, and embedded control software implementation.

Even better, you may have…

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering, or a similar field, with emphasis on simulation, combustion engines, or control system design.
• Deep knowledge of combustion engine operation to assist with high-fidelity engine simulation plant model development and correlation to test data.
• Experience integrating multidisciplinary vehicle subsystem models into simulation environments.
• Experience using industry-standard modeling and simulation packages such as AMESim, GT-POWER, Dymola, CarSim, CarMaker, etc. Experience with Python and C++. Experience with racing tools, telemetry systems, and vehicle dynamics software.
• Experience implementing AI-based and machine learning engineering solutions or developing advanced analytical tools (i.e., random forest regressor, neural network, model-based calibration, parameter optimization and estimation, etc.).
• Dyno, track, vehicle, and hardware-in-the-loop test experience. Experience with vehicle module setup and integration, vehicle sensors, CAN / Ethernet / LIN / UDP communication.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a passion for new technology development.
• Excellent written/oral communication skills.
• Proven ability to work well with others as part of a fast-paced, diverse global team.

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 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.

This position is a salary grade 5 - 8 and ranges from $65,100-$166,200.
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.

Internal applicants: moving into this role may result in an adjustment to your current compensation based on the posted pay range for this role, taking into consideration your qualifications and other relevant factors.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

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.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid #FR1 #LI-LC2