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Thermal Test Engineer at Ford Motor Company in Long Beach, CA
Skills
Job Description
We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.
Ford’s Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company’s vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven and is dedicated to delivering industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. You’ll join an agile team of doers pioneering our EV future by working collaboratively, staying focused on only what matters, and delivering excellence day in and day out. Join us to make positive change by helping build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.
In this position...
We are seeking a hands-on Thermal Test Engineer to manage our state-of-the-art thermal lab, design specialized test fixtures, and lead all physical testing activities from component characterization to full vehicle validation for our EV thermal management systems. This role generates the empirical data that underpins all design and control decisions.
Responsibilities
What you'll do...
• Lab Management: Work with other thermal test engineers and technicians to manage and maintain the thermal test lab facilities, including equipment calibration, scheduling, and ensuring a safe and efficient testing environment.
• Test Fixture Design: Collaborate with Design Engineers to design, procure, and validate specialized test fixtures for component, subsystem, and system-level thermal testing.
• Component & Subsystem Characterization: Plan and execute characterization tests for individual thermal components (pumps, valves, heat exchangers, compressors, etc.) and integrated subsystems (coolant loops, refrigeration circuits, HVAC modules). Provide empirical data to System Engineers for plant model validation.
• Full Vehicle Validation: Lead and execute comprehensive full vehicle thermal validation tests in environmental chambers, climatic wind tunnels, and on test tracks, simulating various real-world and extreme operating conditions.
• Data Acquisition & Analysis: Select, install, and calibrate appropriate instrumentation (thermocouples, pressure transducers, flow meters) and manage high-volume data acquisition systems. Analyze test data to assess performance, identify anomalies, and support root cause analysis.
• Test Automation: Develop and implement automated testing protocols for long-term durability and reliability cycles. Partner with systems and controls engineers to integrate robust safety loops and external monitoring, ensuring autonomous tests operate safely and fail gracefully under anomalous conditions.
• Reporting: Prepare detailed test plans, procedures, and reports summarizing test results, findings, and recommendations for various engineering teams.
• Troubleshooting: Provide critical empirical data and test expertise to support troubleshooting efforts across all thermal engineering disciplines.
Qualifications
You'll have...
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related engineering discipline or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• 3+ years of experience in thermal testing, lab management, and/or test fixture design, preferably in the automotive industry.
• Strong practical knowledge of thermal measurement techniques, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems.
• Experience with environmental testing (e.g., climatic chambers, wind tunnels).
• Proficiency in data analysis tools using Python.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and schematics.
Even better, you may have...
• Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience with EV thermal management component and system testing.
• Familiarity with test automation software (e.g., LabVIEW, Python, etc.).
• Familiarity with CAN/LIN/Ethernet communication protocols and working with smart devices.
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 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 6-8 and ranges from $100,400-$232,700.
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.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR
Visa sponsorship is 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. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid #LI-JD2 #UEV