Software Systems Engineering Manager

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves? 

Enterprise Technology plays a critical part in shaping the future of mobility. If you’re looking for the chance to leverage advanced technology to redefine the transportation landscape, enhance the customer experience and improve people’s lives, this is the opportunity for you. Join us and challenge your IT expertise and analytical skills to help create vehicles that are as smart as you are.

Join Ford’s mission to revolutionize automotive manufacturing through innovative, intelligent software. As a Senior Software Engineering Manager, you'll be at the intersection of the digital and physical—developing cutting-edge applications that bring data, automation, and intelligence to the factory floor. You'll help build the platforms that power our plants, enabling real-time insights and resilient operations that scale with the future of mobility. 

In this position... 

This is a great opportunity to drive the delivery of a key enterprise objective in building Ford’s flagship products – bring Innovation in Manufacturing to have significant business impact. In this role you will lead the development of critical software systems that power the heart of our global manufacturing operations. In this role, you’ll manage multiple engineering teams and leaders, delivering full-stack applications that integrate plant-floor controls with cloud-based intelligence. You'll serve as a strategic connector—aligning technical execution with enterprise objectives, driving innovation at scale, and shaping the digital future of how Ford builds vehicles. This is an ideal opportunity for a seasoned leader who thrives at the intersection of industrial operations, cutting-edge technology, and organizational impact. 

You also get to work with a unique blend of engineers, DevOps, automation, controls, manufacturing and robotics specialists – ideating, building and scaling Billion-Dollar ideas for the manufacturing of iconic Ford products.  This position requires an individual who is customer centric, empathetic and impact focused, and believes in bringing the latest and greatest to Ford’s plant floor to build impactful use cases that can be industrialized with the latest technologies.  This is a rare opportunity to put your signature on how Ford manufactures vehicles. 

About Ford Manufacturing + Technology – 

Ford is transforming how vehicles are built—from traditional assembly lines to digitally connected, intelligent manufacturing systems. At the core of this transformation is software: enabling smarter decisions, predictive maintenance, real-time process optimization, and seamless data flow between machines, people, and the cloud. 

Our teams build modern, scalable applications that blend industrial systems with cloud-native architecture, unlocking value from data streams at the edge to analytics in the cloud. Whether it's reducing downtime, improving quality, or accelerating new vehicle launch readiness, we develop the tools that drive Ford’s global operations forward. 

You'll have... 

Minimum Qualifications – 

Bachelor’s or Master’s or PhD degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.  8+ years of professional software engineering experience, including significant experience with modern full-stack technologies (front-end, back-end, cloud, APIs, databases).  Experience in manufacturing, automotive, or industrial software domains, particularly where software interacts with plant-floor systems and real-time operations.  4+ years of engineering leadership experience, including managing other engineering managers and multiple technical teams.  Proven track record of delivering complex, scalable enterprise software systems in operational or industrial environments.  Strong systems thinking with a demonstrated ability to connect business objectives to technical initiatives and team-level execution.  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence across engineering, business, and executive domains. 

Even better, you may have...

Preferred Qualifications - 

Familiarity with hybrid architectures (edge/cloud), industrial data models, or OT/IT convergence.  Experience with delivering resilient, high-availability applications supporting real-time monitoring, automation, or closed-loop control systems.  Deep understanding of modern software development lifecycle tools and platforms (e.g., Kubernetes, Terraform, Azure, GitOps).  Experience applying AI/ML—including GenAI or industrial AI technologies—to solve real-world problems, with a focus on embedding intelligent capabilities into production-grade software systems in manufacturing or similarly complex domains.  Demonstrated success in mentoring engineering leaders, building succession plans, and scaling engineering organizations through change.  Strong executive presence and ability to communicate technical strategy and delivery to senior leadership and external stakeholders.  Track record of developing engineering talent, mentoring individuals, and building inclusive, high-performance teams.  Passion for using software to optimize physical processes, enhance operator decision-making, and improve industrial efficiency. 

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 a leadership level 5.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL5SP1

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.

#LI-Onsite   #LI-MD2
 

What you'll do...

Lead multiple engineering teams—including other engineering managers—delivering full-stack software solutions that power critical manufacturing operations across Ford’s global plants.  Align technical strategy and team execution with enterprise manufacturing and digital transformation objectives, ensuring high-impact delivery – supporting the next gen products from a Data Solutions point of view.  Guide architecture, design, and implementation of modern applications that connect plant-floor systems (e.g., MES, PLCs) to cloud platforms and enterprise data ecosystems.  Drive execution across multiple concurrent initiatives, balancing short-term deliverables with long-term platform scalability and reliability.  Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders (product, manufacturing, industrial controls, data, and infrastructure) to define roadmaps, resolve blockers, and ensure organizational alignment.  Foster a strong engineering culture focused on quality, agility, security, operational excellence, and professional growth.  Represent the engineering function in executive forums, providing clear communication of risks, tradeoffs, progress, and achievements.  Champion the adoption of modern development practices (CI/CD, test automation, DevSecOps) and ensure robust engineering governance across teams.  Champion the transition toward an AI-Native engineering culture by embedding AI/ML capabilities across software platforms, fostering AI literacy within teams, and driving the integration of intelligent systems into core manufacturing applications.