Job Description

In this role...

We are looking for a visionary Staff Engineer to serve as the technical North Star for our data and AI-driven platforms. In this role, you will be responsible for the evolution of our core architecture, moving us toward a future where real-time data processing and AI are seamlessly integrated into every facet of our product.

As our data ecosystem grows in complexity, we need a leader who can navigate the intersection of high-performance backend engineering and modern AI capabilities. You will tackle "unsolved" problems—designing systems that handle petabytes of data with millisecond latency, architecting multi-tenant API ecosystems, and building the infrastructure that delights our customers who are leveraging our AI solutions for their everyday work. You are a "leader of leaders," someone who influences our multi-year technical roadmap and ensures that our engineering standards remain world-class while we innovate at speed on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Core Technical Skills

• Languages: Expert-level proficiency in Java and Python. Strong experience with Kotlin for modern backend services.
• Cloud Platform: Deep experience with GCP (Google Cloud Platform), specifically BigQuery, Dataflow, Vertex AI, GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine), and IAM.
• Data Engineering: Mastery of SQL and data modeling. Proven track record of building real-time processing systems at scale and robust batch ETL/ELT pipelines.
• AI Engineering: Practical experience deploying AI/ML models in production, prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and working with vector databases (e.g., Pinecone, Weaviate, or Vertex AI Search).
• System Design: Expert knowledge of distributed systems, CAP theorem, microservices patterns, and event-driven architecture.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to look 12–24 months ahead and identify technical debt or opportunities for innovation.
• Communication: Ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and executives.
• Execution: A "get it done" attitude with the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive projects to completion in a fast-paced environment.

What you'll do...

• Architectural Leadership: Design and oversee the implementation of highly scalable, distributed backend systems and microservices using Java, Kotlin, and Python.
• Data Strategy: Define the data architecture and modeling standards for both relational (SQL) and non-relational systems, ensuring data integrity, security, and high availability.
• Streaming & Batch Processing Lead the design of real-time data pipelines (e.g., using Dataflow, Pub/Sub, or Kafka) and batch processing frameworks to handle petabyte-scale data efficiently.
• AI Integration: Drive the "AI-first" engineering culture by integrating LLMs, machine learning models, and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) patterns into production workflows using GCP Vertex AI.
• Cloud Excellence: Optimize GCP infrastructure for performance and cost, leveraging GKE, BigQuery, and Cloud Spanner to support global-scale operations.
• API & Ecosystem Design: Set the standard for API development (REST, GraphQL, gRPC), ensuring seamless integration across internal services and external partners.
• Technical Governance: Conduct architecture reviews, define CI/CD best practices, and ensure the team maintains a high bar for code quality, testing, and observability.
• Mentorship: Act as a force multiplier by mentoring Senior Engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence.

You'll Have...

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 5 years using Python and SQL
• 5 years experience building and consuming APIs to drive complex data integrations across distributed systems.
• 5 years experience migrating or building large-scale architectures on GCP.
• 4+ years in a Senior or Staff capacity, overseeing large-scale distributed systems.
• 2+ years Practical experience using LLM APIs or building GenAI-enabled applications
• Experience in a "Product-led" engineering environment where you have directly influenced product features through technical capability.

Even better, you may have...

Contributions to Open Source projects or a recognized presence in the tech community (talks, blogs, etc.).

Experience with MLOps frameworks (Kubeflow, MLflow).

Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field.

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 leadership level 6 and ranges from $132,800-$250,800.

For California residents 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 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.

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