Propulsion Controls Engineering Jobs in Detroit, MI

About Blue Bird Corporation

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. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director, Electrical Systems & Integration is responsible for the strategy, architecture, integration, and execution of vehicle electrical and electromechanical systems across complex vehicle platforms. This role serves as the executive technical leader responsible for high-voltage systems, low-voltage architecture, propulsion electronics, controls integration, electrical distribution, vehicle communication networks, and electromechanical subsystem integration from concept through production launch and field support. You will lead cross-functional engineering execution across internal teams, suppliers, and external engineering partners while establishing scalable engineering structures, technical standards, integration strategies, and organizational capability required to support rapidly evolving vehicle platforms. Success in this role requires strong systems thinking, technical depth, organizational leadership, and the ability to drive alignment and execution in fast-moving environments where architectures, requirements, and technologies evolve simultaneously. This is not a traditional functional engineering management role. This is a high-accountability technical leadership position for someone who wants meaningful ownership over the electrical architecture and systems integration strategy of next-generation vehicle platforms.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Electrical Systems Strategy & Architecture: Lead development of vehicle electrical architecture strategy across high-voltage systems, low-voltage systems, controls integration, electrical distribution, communication networks, and electromechanical subsystems.
• Vehicle Systems Integration Leadership: Drive electrical and electromechanical integration across propulsion, chassis, controls, thermal, software, manufacturing, and vehicle platform teams to ensure complete vehicle functionality and production readiness.
• Controls & Communication Architecture: Oversee development and integration of vehicle communication networks, controls systems, diagnostics, software interfaces, and functional interactions across vehicle subsystems.
• Electrification & Propulsion Systems Leadership: Lead integration strategy for electric, hybrid, and alternative propulsion systems including HV architectures, battery systems, power electronics, charging systems, and propulsion controls.
• Technical Governance & Engineering Standards: Establish engineering standards, integration frameworks, electrical design guidelines, validation methodologies, and scalable technical processes that improve execution without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Supplier & External Engineering Leadership: Lead technical direction across suppliers, engineering service providers, and external development partners while maintaining ownership of architecture strategy, technical quality, integration outcomes, and launch readiness.
• Validation & Technical Issue Resolution: Oversee validation strategy, DV/PV execution, integration troubleshooting, and root cause resolution across electrical, controls, communication, and electromechanical systems.
• Manufacturing & Launch Support: Partner with manufacturing, launch, quality, and operations teams to ensure electrical systems integrate successfully into prototype builds, pilot operations, production launch, and early field operation.
• Regulatory & Compliance Leadership: Ensure vehicle electrical systems comply with FMVSS, ISO, SAE, EMC, HV safety, cybersecurity, and applicable commercial vehicle regulatory standards.
• Organizational Capability Development: Build, mentor, and lead high-performing engineering teams capable of operating effectively in fast-paced, high-accountability development environments.
• Cross-Functional Technical Leadership: Drive alignment across engineering, manufacturing, program management, quality, supply chain, suppliers, and executive leadership teams to support platform execution and launch success.
• Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure and drive execution in environments where architectures, requirements, supplier capabilities, and platform strategies are evolving simultaneously.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES FOR SUCCESS

• Deep understanding of vehicle electrical architecture, controls integration, and electromechanical systems
• Strong knowledge of HV systems, battery systems, power electronics, charging systems, and vehicle communication networks
• Strong systems thinking and ability to balance technical trade-offs across competing priorities
• Experience leading electrical integration across propulsion, software, controls, manufacturing, and vehicle platform teams
• Strong understanding of CAN, LIN, Automotive Ethernet, diagnostics, and vehicle network architecture
• Experience supporting vehicle programs from concept through launch and field support
• Strong understanding of DV/PV, DFMEA, root cause analysis, and systems validation methodologies
• Experience leading suppliers, external engineering organizations, and outsourced technical development activities
• Ability to provide technical direction while maintaining ownership of final engineering decisions and integration outcomes
• Strong organizational leadership, communication, and decision-making capability under pressure
• Demonstrated experience leading electrical systems integration across production vehicle platforms
• Experience supporting vehicle programs through prototype development, validation, manufacturing launch, and field issue resolution
• Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, quality, program management, and external development partners

BASIC EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Mechatronics
• 10+ years of electrical engineering experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, electrification, controls, or complex vehicle systems engineering environments
• 7+ years of leadership experience managing engineering teams, technical organizations, or large-scale integration efforts
• All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Electromechanical Engineering, preferred
• Experience with commercial vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, or complex vehicle integration programs
• Experience supporting low- or zero-emission vehicle platforms
• Experience operating in fast-paced or rapidly evolving engineering organizations
• Advanced degree in engineering or related technical discipline
• Familiarity with functional safety, cybersecurity, AUTOSAR, or advanced vehicle controls integration
• Experience scaling engineering organizations or implementing systems engineering structures in low-process environments
• Experience supporting outsourced engineering development or external technical partnerships

WE VALUE

• Takes ownership of complex technical and organizational challenges and drives them to resolution
• Thrives in ambiguity and rapidly evolving development environments
• Operates with urgency while maintaining strong engineering and business judgment
• Thinks in systems, interfaces, and platform-level interactions rather than isolated components
• Can balance engineering rigor, manufacturing realities, launch timing, supplier constraints, and long-term platform strategy
• Is comfortable making difficult technical decisions with incomplete information and evolving requirements
• Can lead internal and external engineering organizations while maintaining clear technical ownership and accountability
• Wants meaningful ownership over electrical architecture, vehicle integration, and platform execution strategy

INCLUDES

• Continued Professional Development
• Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matching

WORK CONDITIONS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 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

*The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive.  They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform the job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

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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