Digital Key Software Engineer

Position: Staff Digital Key Software Engineer

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...

Ford's Advanced EV and Software organization is looking for a Staff Software Engineer to take full functional ownership of the vehicle access authentication path and the customer‑facing vehicle functions built on top of it. This is the software that every single customer access event passes through — transaction authorization, lock/unlock, start authorization, and remote functions — spanning Digital Key and Key Card credentials.

You will help drive this stack from architecture through vehicle bring‑up and post‑launch support, working with wireless and embedded technologies including Bluetooth, UWB, NFC, and RF connectivity.

• Own implementation of one or more components of the vehicle access authentication path, including transaction authorization, lock/unlock, start authorization, and/or remote functions across Digital Key and Key Card.
• Architect and develop embedded software for Vehicle Access systems running on ECUs and real‑time embedded platforms.
• Design, implement, and maintain Digital Key functionality based on Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standards, alongside Key Card authentication flows.
• Develop software supporting vehicle access features utilizing Bluetooth, Ultra‑Wideband (UWB), NFC, and RF communication technologies.
• Lead collaboration with systems, hardware, validation, cybersecurity, and mobile application teams to deliver end‑to‑end vehicle access and vehicle function solutions.
• Write and enhance embedded software in C, leveraging Python for automation, testing, and validation activities.
• Define software architecture, interfaces, and communication frameworks between vehicle systems, key credentials (Digital Key and Key Card), and external devices.
• Support vehicle integration, debugging, and bring‑up activities on prototype and production vehicles.
• Diagnose complex software, connectivity, and RF‑related issues across vehicle and mobile ecosystems.
• Use AI‑assisted development tools (such as VS Code with Git Hub Copilot or other Ford‑approved AI coding assistants) to accelerate coding, code review, debugging, documentation, and test‑case generation, while critically validating all AI‑suggested code against automotive safety, security, and coding standards (e.g., MISRA).

You’ll have...

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 8+ years of professional experience developing embedded software.
• Strong proficiency in Embedded C programming.
• Strong Python scripting and automation experience.
• Hands‑on experience with complex embedded software projects, such as Vehicle Access systems, Digital Key, or Key Card technologies.
• Experience working with complex industry standards, e.g., Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standards.
• Understanding of Bluetooth, UWB, NFC, RF communication, and wireless connectivity architectures.
• Experience…