Manager, System Software Validation & Verification

Job ID: 72564
Location: Palo Alto, California
Category: PD Operations and Quality

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At Ford, you’ll work on ideas that matter, alongside passionate people who want to make a global impact. Together, we’re shaping the next era of transportation—grounded in purpose, driven by progress. Make your move.

Job Type: Full time
Work Type: Hybrid

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We are seeking an experienced and dynamic person to lead our System Software Verification and Validation (V&V) team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in automotive testing and a proven track record of managing complex testing projects. This role involves overseeing the planning, execution, and reporting of system level test results to ensure our products meet the highest quality and safety standards. The manager will work directly with development and system engineering teams to develop a validation strategy to verify the system. This manager will be responsible for hiring a team of validation engineers and to then drive the team to meet their committed deliverables as well as working with technical leads and managers across the broader organization to assess risk, communicate status and drive closure to key issues.

Validation Strategy and Planning
• Define and lead the system-level validation strategy for embedded software and vehicle systems, from early development through program release.
• Own the system-level test and validation plan, aligning requirements, risks, program objectives, and timing.
• Partner with systems, feature, software, and attribute owners to establish requirements traceability, test coverage, and clear acceptance criteria.
• Identify validation gaps early and ensure test plans, test cases, and scripts address functional and non-functional requirements.

System-Level Test Execution
• Lead validation across integrated systems, ECUs, software, interfaces, and vehicle domains at system level test properties and vehicles.
• Oversee integration, system, and acceptance testing to verify behavior across system boundaries and operating conditions.
• Coordinate test resources, environments, and schedules to meet program milestones.
• Ensure test results, risks, and release-readiness assessments are documented and communicated clearly and on time.

Issue Resolution and Quality
• Lead cross-functional investigations, including root-cause analysis, fix verification, and actions to prevent regression.
• Analyze test results and provide actionable feedback to development teams.
• Establish and monitor metrics for test coverage, execution, defect trends, and validation effectiveness.

Team and Stakeholder Leadership
• Lead, mentor, and develop validation and verification engineers; assign work based on team priorities and development needs.
• Manage customer validation requirements and present progress, results, and risks to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, innovation, quality, and safety.

You'll have...
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field.
• 12+ years of experience in automotive systems, embedded software, or system validation.
• Experience leading or mentoring engineers and managing competing program priorities.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, including experience working across hardware, software, systems engineering, and program teams.
• Experience defining and delivering system-level validation strategies from concept through production.
• Experience managing validation schedules, resources, or lab capacity.
• Familiarity with vehicle testing standards and customer-specific validation requirements.
• Strong understanding of vehicle E/E architecture, embedded software, control systems, and cross-domain integration.
• Experience with system-level testing across benches, HIL platforms, and vehicles; familiarity with tools such as Vector or dSPACE.
• Knowledge of automotive networks and related formats, such as CAN, LIN, Ethernet, FlexRay, DBC, LDF, and ARXML.
• Experience developing, reviewing, or guiding automated and manual test execution, including smoke and regression testing.
• Experience with test automation, smoke and regression testing, requirements traceability, defect triage, and system-level debugging.
• Ability to interpret electrical and logical schematics, network diagrams, and wiring or harness drawings.
• Working knowledge of Automotive SPICE, ISO 26262, or other applicable development and safety processes.
• Experience integrating validation and regression testing into continuous integration workflows.

Even better, you may have...

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 established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a leadership level 6 and ranges from $150,200-$283,500.
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6

Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

#LI-MZ1 #UEV

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Change the world with your ideas.

Speak up. We’re listening. At Ford, we believe the right ideas, and the people behind them, can move an entire industry. Here, you'll work with teams who value your voice, push bold ideas forward, and leave a mark that lasts.

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Support designed to go the distance.

From day one, Ford invests in you with medical benefits built to help you plan for what’s next. You’ll also get support for you and your family that meets you at every step, so you can move forward with confidence.

Health and Wellness

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, mental health, and unique wellness perks keep you and your family supported every step of the way.
Financial and Retirement Programs

Build a strong financial future with robust retirement contributions, savings programs, and free personalized financial planning tools.
Flexible Vacation and Holidays

Enjoy your time away from work with generous vacation, holidays, and flexible family leave designed to help you balance life and work with ease.
Vehicle Discount Program

The best thing about building great products is driving them! The second-best thing: sharing your discount with family and friends so they can drive them, too.
Family Growth and Support

Grow your family confidently with fertility, surrogacy, and adoption assistance, paid parental leave, and a supportive new-parent ramp-up program.
Additional Programs

Enjoy unexpected extras like pet insurance, legal services, identity protection, and access to convenient health and wellness services.

Ford gives me the space to innovate, to lead, and to serve — all while staying true to who I am as an engineer, educator, and parent. It’s not just a career; it’s a community that drives change.

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Manager, System Software Validation & Verification

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Change the world with your ideas.

Support designed to go the distance.

Health and Wellness

Financial and Retirement Programs

Flexible Vacation and Holidays

Vehicle Discount Program

Family Growth and Support

Additional Programs

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