Automation & Controls Engineering Supervisor

Strategic Leadership Mandate As a senior technical and people leader, you will guide teams and strategic initiatives supporting Vehicle Operations and Powertrain Manufacturing Engineering while partnering across Manufacturing, IT, Product Development, Research and Advanced Engineering, and supplier organizations. Your leadership will help define how Ford designs, validates, deploys, and continuously improves automation and controls solutions across a complex global manufacturing footprint.

This position offers the opportunity to influence the controls engineering agenda for next-generation manufacturing. The successful candidate will lead high-value initiatives tied to uptime, quality, throughput, launch readiness, safety, data enablement, and Zero Fault Forward capability—bringing clarity, discipline, and technical judgment to the systems that keep production moving. Drive accountable controls delivery of Powertrain and Final Assembly programs, ensuring disciplined execution across scope, timing, cost, quality, supplier performance, risk resolution, manufacturing readiness, and launch.

Set direction for strategic controls engineering priorities that improve manufacturing execution, operational reliability, and technical readiness. Partner with manufacturing leaders to uncover systemic opportunities, resolve complex issues, and deliver practical, scalable solutions. Champion advanced automation, error proofing, data integration, connected manufacturing, and supplier capability development. Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing technical team while building durable knowledge systems, standards, and lessons learned.

Translate field experience into stronger specifications, smarter launches, and more resilient manufacturing systems. At Ford Motor Company, we believe freedom of movement drives human progress. With our incredible plans for the future of mobility, we have a wide variety of opportunities for you to accelerate your career and help us define tomorrow’s transportation.

We build world-class vehicles in our plants around the world, constantly developing new technologies and processes to further increase our efficiency. It’s our people who really make the difference. We encourage all of our employees to think outside the box to help us find better and more efficient ways to manufacture our vehicles.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline. Minimum of 10 years of relevant controls engineering experience, with demonstrated ability to lead complex technical work. Strong project management, organizational, communication, and cross-functional leadership skills. Hands-on expertise troubleshooting PLC, robot, vision, network, and broader automation systems. Knowledge of industrial automation programming principles, including Schneider, Bosch, Siemens, and Rockwell platforms.

Experience with networking, communication protocols, fieldbus architectures, and IT standard applications. Knowledge of RFID systems, complexity management, scheduling, and quality-of-service strategies. Familiarity with international electrical and safety standards, including UL, ISO, IEC, risk assessments, PSS, and integrated safety processes. Ability to interpret electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic prints and connect design decisions to plant-floor outcomes. Experience supporting programs from cost study through launch, including GPDS deliverables and manufacturing readiness.

Ability to travel up to 40% domestically and internationally, including Canada and Mexico. 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…