Research Engineer- Fuel Cell Stack Modeling

As a Research Engineer in Fuel Cell Stack Modeling, you will play a pivotal role in advancing Ford’s clean energy vehicle technologies. You will design and execute high-fidelity simulations that capture the complex physics of automotive fuel cell stack operations.

Responsibilities

• Model Development & Optimization: Develop and improve physical and electrochemical models to predict fuel cell stack performance, degradation, and internal operational states.
• Engineering Analysis: Conduct model-based engineering analysis to mitigate stack stress factors and improve lifetime durability, supporting key design decisions for fuel cell stacks, systems, and controls.
• Advanced Simulation: Create advanced simulations incorporating the physics of automotive fuel cell stack operation to develop and verify current and future system designs.
• Tool & Software Creation: Develop software toolsets for simulated fuel cell stacks to test against physical constraints and safe operational requirements.
• Automation: Implement automation processes for the analysis and testing of modeled fuel cell stacks.
• Scalability: Develop standardized processes, methods, and tools to make simulation models sharable and scalable across departments.
• Data Validation: Analyze and review simulation test data using real-time and post-processing tools to ensure tight correlation between virtual models and physical testing.
• Model Integration: Integrate fuel cell stack simulation models with other Ford models, including controls, larger powertrain systems, and full-vehicle simulations.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with hardware test engineers to design physical experiments, parameterize physics-based models, and troubleshoot complex system-level issues.
• Documentation & Reporting: Create and maintain comprehensive simulation documentation, document simulation code, and publish technical papers or reports.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Two or more years of experience with open-loop and closed-loop fuel cell stack simulation.
• Demonstrated foundational knowledge of fuel cell technology, electrochemistry principles, and fuel cell system operations.
• Experience working with data from fuel cell testing.
• Three or more years of experience using MATLAB and Simulink for component and system modeling.
• One or more years of experience formulating transfer functions and developing complex simulations.
• Proven experience in troubleshooting and solving complex simulation model errors.
• Strong oral, visual, and written communication skills.

Benefits

• 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.