Controls Engineer

Company: Optimal Inc.
Location: Dearborn
Posted on: February 17, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Position Description: Develop chassis control work products to coordinate actions and functions between modules and subsystems to meet vehicle level and Feature attributes. Develop and refine feature and system requirements to meet customer, regulatory and functional safety needs. Drive decomposition of system level requirements to technology requirements across Ford's vehicle domains, including Motion Control, Propulsion, and In-Vehicle Infotainment. Work with Functional Safety engineers to develop and refine feature functional safety requirements, item definition, hazard analysis/risk assessment and functional safety concept incompliance with ISO-26262/Ford Functional Safety process. Employ Model Based System Engineering to evaluate chassis control systems and integrate with interfacing vehicle systems. Develop and refine quality documents to ensure robust implementation of requirements (Boundary Diagram, FMEA, P-Diagram, Interface Matrix). Employ Model Based System Engineering to create and evaluate chassis control system boundary diagrams and FMEAs. Develop design validation methods to ensure feature robustness across all vehicle environmental conditions and customer usage. Develop and refine test cases to validate concept, logical and technology level requirements. Drive continuous improvement in test coverage and test techniques to proactively find and resolve technical issues early in the product development cycle, including simulation and vehicle prototypes. Work with the Hardware in the Loop (HIL) and virtual validation teams to establish procedures to reduce dependence on vehicle-level testing. Help execute real-world evaluation via vehicle/HIL/virtual testing and identify system problems/issues. Support and coordinate root-cause analysis with internal functions and external suppliers to ensure delivered system achieves feature requirements. Skills Required: Requirements written to control how steering software will use feedback from sensors to induce an assist counter to inputs to cancel vibrations in the steering wheel. Requirements at a system level and at the technology level. Requirements should be clear, concise, atomic, verifiable, EARS compliant, InCose compliant and written at the correct level. 4 years of experience in system engineering including experience with System V, Functional decomposition, design analysis, Concept, Logical and technology level requirements development, System integration and FMA analysis. Education Required: Bachelor's Degree Hybrid (4 days in office, Friday at home optional)

Keywords: Optimal Inc., Saginaw , Controls Engineer, Engineering , Dearborn, Michigan