Senior Vehicle Controls Integration Engineer Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. The Senior Vehicle Controls Integration Engineer owns the integration of intelligent vehicle control systems across a new commercial chassis platform from concept through production launch. This role serves as the technical authority for vehicle controls integration, embedded electronic systems, sensors, actuators, and electromechanical interfaces while ensuring seamless integration between hardware, software, electrical architecture, and mechanical systems. Responsibilities include developing system requirements, defining interfaces, supporting controls integration, and delivering production-ready vehicle functionality. Working closely with other engineering teams, manufacturing, suppliers, and external engineering partners, this position is empowered to establish technical direction, make timely engineering decisions, and drive execution across the complete product lifecycle. This is a high-impact role for an experienced engineer who thrives in ambiguity, enjoys solving complex integration challenges, and wants meaningful ownership over the intelligent systems that define vehicle capability, safety, and customer experience.
Essential duties and responsibilities include:- Vehicle Controls Architecture: Develop and own the vehicle controls architecture for embedded controllers, electronic actuators, sensors, and intelligent electromechanical systems supporting the commercial chassis platform.
- Systems Integration: Lead integration of electrical, software, and mechanical systems to ensure robust functionality, diagnostics, reliability, manufacturability, and production-ready performance.
- Requirements & Interface Definition: Develop and manage system requirements, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), communication interfaces, and functional interactions supporting vehicle controls and intelligent systems.
- Controls Strategy & Integration: Partner with controls software, electrical architecture, and systems engineering teams to define control strategies, diagnostics, fault management, and system behaviors that support overall vehicle performance.
- Supplier & External Engineering Leadership: Provide technical direction to suppliers and external engineering partners while maintaining ownership of system requirements, engineering decisions, integration quality, and production readiness.
- Validation & System Verification: Develop and execute validation strategies supporting Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), subsystem integration, vehicle validation, and production readiness.
- Diagnostics & Functional Safety: Support development of diagnostics, fault detection, system monitoring, cybersecurity considerations, and functional safety activities appropriate for commercial vehicle applications.
- Cross-Functional Technical Integration: Partner with Electrical Architecture, Propulsion Systems Integration, Chassis & Vehicle Integration, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program Management to ensure successful system integration from concept through launch.
- Prototype, Launch & Manufacturing Support: Support prototype builds, manufacturing launch, and early production by resolving controls integration issues and rapidly driving corrective actions to maintain program timing.
- Root Cause Analysis: Lead investigation and resolution of complex controls, communication, software, sensor, actuator, and electromechanical integration issues throughout development and production.
- Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure and drive execution where requirements, technologies, suppliers, and vehicle architectures evolve simultaneously.
- Knowledge, skills and abilities for success include:
- Deep understanding of embedded vehicle controls, electromechanical systems, and vehicle systems integration
- Strong understanding of CAN, CAN FD, LIN, J1939, Automotive Ethernet, UDS diagnostics, and vehicle communication architectures
- Experience integrating ECUs, sensors, actuators, embedded software, and intelligent vehicle systems
- Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink, dSPACE, Vector CANoe, CANalyzer, CANape, or equivalent development and validation tools
- Experience developing system requirements, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), DVP&R, and systems validation strategies
- Strong understanding of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), functional testing, and root cause analysis
- Experience supporting prototype development, validation, manufacturing launch, and production issue resolution
- Ability to provide technical direction across internal engineering teams, suppliers, and external engineering organizations without direct authority
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and engineering decision-making skills
- Basic education and experience required:
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Robotics Engineering, or a related technical discipline 8+ years of experience developing embedded vehicle controls, electronic systems, mechatronic systems, or intelligent vehicle technologies for automotive, commercial vehicle, heavy-duty, or off-highway vehicle platforms
All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.
We're looking for someone who:
Takes ownership of complex vehicle controls integration challenges and drives them to resolution
Thrives in fast-paced environments where requirements, technologies, and priorities evolve rapidly
Makes sound engineering decisions independently while balancing technical performance, manufacturability, reliability, safety, and launch timing
Provides technical direction to suppliers and external engineering partners while maintaining ownership of engineering decisions and system performance
Thinks at the complete vehicle level and understands how software, electronics, and mechanical systems interact
Operates with urgency, embraces accountability, and creates structure where little exists
Wants meaningful autonomy and the opportunity to influence the architecture, integration, and performance of a new commercial chassis platform
Includes:
Continued Professional Development
Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matching
Work conditions:
Office environment and production environment
Must work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to heat, cold and noise
Fast-paced production area with moving objects and sheet metal
Occasional periods of standing or sitting for extended periods of time
You must wear appropriate PPE when and where required
Frequent weeks working 40+ hours
Frequent communication with people throughout the day
Blue Bird is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We strive to have the best available talent in every job based on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities each person brings. Blue Bird is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in Company operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination in all forms.
All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.
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