Research Engineer- Fuel Cell Stack Modeling

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.

In this position you will collaborate with cross‑functional teams to advance Ford’s clean energy vehicle technologies.

As a Research Engineer in Fuel Cell Stack Modeling, you will play a pivotal role in advancing Ford’s clean energy vehicle technologies. You will design and execute high‑fidelity simulations that capture the complex physics of automotive fuel cell stack operations. Working at the intersection of virtual simulation and physical testing, you will collaborate closely with hardware engineers, control systems teams, and external research partners.

Your work will directly influence system‑level design decisions, helping to mitigate stack stress factors, extend fuel cell lifetimes, and deliver scalable, production‑ready green energy solutions.

• Model Development & Optimization:
  Develop and improve physical and electrochemical models to predict fuel cell stack performance, degradation, and internal operational states.
• Engineering Analysis:
  Conduct model‑based engineering analysis to mitigate stack stress factors and improve lifetime durability, supporting key design decisions for fuel cell stacks, systems, and controls.
• Advanced Simulation:
  Create advanced simulations incorporating the physics of automotive fuel cell stack operation to develop and verify current and future system designs.
• Tool & Software Creation:
  Develop software toolsets for simulated fuel cell stacks to test against physical constraints and safe operational requirements.
• Automation:
  Implement automation processes for the analysis and testing of modeled fuel cell stacks.
• Scalability:
  Develop standardized processes, methods, and tools to make simulation models sharable and scalable across departments.
• Data Validation:
  Analyze and review simulation test data using real‑time and post‑processing tools to ensure tight correlation between virtual models and physical testing.
• Model Integration:
  Integrate fuel cell stack simulation models with other Ford models, including controls, larger powertrain systems, and full‑vehicle simulations.

Work closely with hardware test engineers to design physical experiments, parameterize physics‑based models, and troubleshoot complex system‑level issues.

Collaborate closely with other department teams, internal modelers, and external partners (such as universities and automotive suppliers).

Documentation & Reporting:
Create and maintain comprehensive simulation documentation (including requirements, procedures, plans, and reports), document simulation code, and publish technical papers or reports.

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Two or more years of experience with open‑loop and closed‑loop fuel cell stack simulation.
• Demonstrated foundational knowledge of fuel cell technology, electrochemistry principles, and fuel cell system operations (academic or industry‑based).
• Experience working with data from fuel cell testing (e.g., electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, etc.).
• Three or more years of experience using MATLAB and Simulink for component and system modeling.
• One or more years of experience formulating transfer functions and developing complex simulations.
• Proven experience in troubleshooting and solving complex simulation model errors.
• Demonstrated systems engineering mindset.
• Strong oral, visual, and written communication skills with a proven ability to document processes and simulation designs clearly.

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Specialized experience in modeling and methods for evaluating Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell degradation.
• Experience with high‑fidelity simulation software such as Fluent, COMSOL, AVL Fire M, or other multiphysics…