HIL Electrical Systems Engineer

Ford Motor Company

Electrical engineer designing and validating Ford’s Hardware-in-the-Loop systems for powertrain and electrification programs. Integrating ECUs, simulators, harnesses, PCBs, and dynamometer hardware.

Posted 9/4/2026full-timeDearborn • Missouri • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $99,600 - $192,900 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in electrical design for HIL systems, including proficiency in electrical schematic design, wire harness assembly, and automotive communication protocols. Capable of leading projects from concept to production while ensuring effective communication and collaboration across teams.

Highest-signal resume keywords

HIL System DesignElectrical Schematic DesignAutomotive Communication ProtocolsHands-On Laboratory DebuggingProject Planning and Coordination

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Electrical Schematic DesignWire Harness DesignSignal Conditioning Circuit DesignTest Plan CreationC/C++ ProgrammingPython ProgrammingPCB Design and LayoutAutomotive EthernetCAN ProtocolsLIN Protocols

Soft Skills

Effective CommunicationInterpersonal SkillsTeam CollaborationProject Management

Tools & Technologies

DSPACE SCALEXIOSpeedgoatNI VeriStandCANalyzerCANoeATI VisionINCAControlDeskGitHubJenkins

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical EngineeringMaster's Degree in Electrical Engineering

Industry Keywords

HILEmbedded Electronic Test SystemsAutomotive Electronic Control SystemsPowertrainElectrification

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AssemblyC++JenkinsPython

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as the electrical design authority for HIL benches, architecting I/O and signal conditioning strategy, designing wire harnesses and custom PCBs, integrating simulator platforms with real ECUs and dynamometer hardware, and bringing new configurations from bare enclosure to fully communicating system
Design and architect new HIL system configurations for powertrain and electrification programs, including enclosure layout, I/O strategy, signal conditioning, power distribution, fault insertion, and interface control documentation
Author technical requirements, statements of work, and evaluation criteria for HIL hardware and software procurement
Support supplier selection and technical design reviews, coordinating delivery across research, advanced engineering, and production organizations
Design, build, and validate wire harnesses and electrical cable assemblies connecting HIL simulators to ECUs, sensors, actuators, and powertrain/dynamometer subsystems
Own electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and harness documentation from connector and pinout definition through routing, shielding, and continuity verification
Design, lay out, and validate custom circuits for signal conditioning, load simulation, and interface adaptation used in HIL, ViL, HPiL, and dyno test environments
Configure and integrate HIL platforms including dSPACE SCALEXIO, Speedgoat, or NI VeriStand
Maintain backward compatibility across platform migrations so existing test assets and harnesses remain functional
Implement and validate I/O circuits for analog voltage/current, PWM, frequency, digital I/O, CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, and Automotive Ethernet
Perform component-level and system-level debugging across HIL benches, including signal tracing, oscilloscope analysis, CAN/Ethernet protocol analysis, and ECU communication diagnostics
Support bring-up and commissioning of new bench configurations, including power cycling validation, network bring-up, ECU flashing, and initial communication verification
Research and evaluate emerging HIL platforms, tools, and simulation methodologies and recommend improvements aligned with Ford's electrification roadmap and Software-Defined Vehicle architecture evolution

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, or closely related discipline
5+ years' experience designing, building, and validating HIL or embedded electronic test systems
3+ years' experience with automotive electronic control systems (powertrain, electrification, or related domain)
Proficiency in electrical schematic design and wire harness/cable assembly design
Demonstrated ability to work independently and drive projects from concept through production, including project planning, stakeholder coordination, and delivery across multiple organizations
Hands-on experience with automotive communication protocols (CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, Automotive Ethernet)
Hands-on laboratory debugging skills with oscilloscopes, multimeters, bench supplies, and bus analysis tools
Demonstrated effective communication, documentation, and interpersonal skills in a team environment
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States
Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering or related field (even better)
Hands-on experience with dSPACE, Speedgoat, NI VeriStand, or Vector hardware-in-the-loop platforms and associated software (even better)
PCB design and layout experience (even better)
Experience designing signal conditioning circuits (even better)
Experience with Vehicle-in-the-Loop or dynamometer test environments (even better)
Experience creating and executing test plans, test scripts, test automation, and test reports (even better)
Experience with GitHub and Jenkins (even better)
Knowledge of CANalyzer and CANoe (even better)
Experience with ATI Vision, INCA, or ControlDesk (even better)
Experience with C/C++ and Python (even better)
Experience using GitHub Copilot and AI-assisted approaches to test case generation, log analysis, and failure triage (even better)
Familiarity with Ford development and systems engineering processes and tools (GPDS, GTDS, VSEM, Stages) (even better)

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