Thermal Systems 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.

Racing is where our story began.

In 1901, Henry Ford climbed into a car he built himself—"Sweepstakes"—and beat America's most famous driver. He wasn't a racer, but he had to win. He did. Ford Motor Company was born from that victory.

That fighting spirit lives on in Ford Racing today. We're the engineers, strategists, and competitors who bring Ford's track-tested edge into every vehicle we build. Every track, every stage, every proving ground—that's where we prove ourselves.

The result: one of the world's most iconic brands, legendary nameplates, and a team unmatched in the industry.

Our mantra: Race to win, engineer to lead.

If you're a competitor, innovator, or performance obsessive, Ford Racing is where you belong. Help us write the next chapter.

In this position... 

The Ford Racing Thermal Systems Engineer will own the thermal responsibilities across mutable Ford Racing production vehicle platforms.This role will collaborate across disciplines to develop and validate thermal solutions that meet vehicle performance targets and program milestones. The role includes setting targets, managing risks /trade-offs, modeling/real-world testing and communicating progress to stakeholders.

The Ford Racing Thermal Systems Engineer role involves extensive cross-functional collaboration, target setting, modeling, validation testing, and risk management to ensure that Ford Racing production vehicles meet or exceed performance targets while adhering to program milestones. The Ford Racing thermal systems engineer will also be responsible for identifying and resolving trade-offs between competing attributes, developing roadmaps for improvement, and communicating attribute status to stakeholders. 

You will work closely with cross functional teams (Powertrain, core Thermal Systems, Aerodynamics, Studio, Body Engineering, CAD/CAE resources and motorsport) to architect thermal solutions that meet aggressive performance thermal targets.

You'll have...

• BS in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace or related) with 3+ years of Product Development experience desired

• Experience in thermal system development

• Good leadership skills to bring cross functional working teams together

• Experience in analytical modeling, system level testing, vehicle level testing and correlation of testing to customer experience

• Strong enthusiasm for and knowledge of high-performance vehicles and the customers who purchase them

• Excellent written and oral presentation skills required

• Need to be self-starter with ability to deliver results and overcome obstacles

• Position will require some travel and occasional extended hours to complete testing and/or issue resolution

Even better, you may have...

• MS in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace or related)

• 5+ years of thermal systems development

• Experience with CFD vehicle modeling software and analysis

• Experience with ATI, PTDAIG, or other vehicle data acquisition and analysis systems

• CAD knowledge and capability

• Performance driving experience (drag strip or off-road) and/or credentials within Ford is a plus. (≥Tier II)

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

• 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 

• Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day 

This position is a salary grade 5 and ranges from $65,100-$109,300.

This position is a salary grade 6 and ranges from $74,300-$124,500. 

This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $86,600-$144,900. 

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $99,100-$166,200.

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.

Internal applicants: moving into this role may result in an adjustment to your current compensation based on the posted pay range for this role, taking into consideration your qualifications and other relevant factors.

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

Visa sponsorship is not 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#FR1#LI-JB5

What you'll do...

• Own the thermal system architecture for mutable Ford Racing performance vehicle programs, including cooling circuits for (radiators, CACs, oil coolers, etc.) from Pre-Program through Launch.

• Define system requirements and performance targets (coolant flow, temperature limits, pressure drops, heat rejection capacity, etc.) in alignment with vehicle-level performance and durability goals.

• Work with core Thermal Systems Engineering team to build thermal models of under hood/powertrain thermal systems.This includes modeling fluid flow, heat rejection and thermal limits of radiators, intercoolers, oil coolers, and related engine and driveline components.

• Partner with aerodynamics and studio teams to use CFD to help optimize body features for managing airflow.

• Develop and execute test plans for vehicle-level testing and validation, including instrumentation, climatic wind tunnel testing, and supporting test trips to off-site test facilities such as test tracks.

• Lead root cause analysis and resolution of thermal issues discovered during development.

• Present technical status, trade-offs, and recommendations to program management and senior engineering leadership.