Principal Architect, Industrial Systems · Ford Motor Company

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:14:19 GMT
Engineering

Ford Motor Company · Dearborn · onsite

Come help build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. As a Principal Architect, Industrial Systems, you will provide global leadership to a team of more than 40 architects who build and manage systems across the industrial platform. You will spearhead cross-platform efforts to align the design and implementation of industrial technologies with the company's overarching technical strategy and current industry trends.

The Principal Architect drives alignment across all global regions and skill teams, ensuring that systems adhere to both industry and company standards. This requires close collaboration with cross-functional partners,including Infrastructure, developers, operations, and product managers,to gather requirements and ensure the platform serves the needs of all internal and external stakeholders.

Key responsibilities include:

Supporting the development and evolution of the Industrial System's future state vision and roadmap by providing industry perspectives

Consulting on emerging technology and business process modernization opportunities that are driving digital and AI-driven transformation in manufacturing and adjacent industries

Ensuring delivery of architecture artifacts in line with delivery commitments and timeline

Partnering with our Enterprise Platform Engineering and Operations team to develop a strategic and proactive roadmap for technology maintenance and remediation

Supporting the development and execution of an accelerated portfolio rationalization plan

Supporting cross-functional integration and alignment for end-to-end optimization across the Industrial value stream

Building strong partnerships with and operating as an integral part of the Industrial Systems leadership team to drive and shape the transformation of the Industrial System

Leading by example regarding solution and business architecture by participating in design sessions and engineering projects

Leading a team of architects located in Dearborn, Michigan, Chennai, India, and elsewhere.

Advising on how to prioritize updates of existing systems to meet the desired new architecture

Staying aligned with key vendors and investors on new companies and technologies that should be part of our strategy going forward

Staying on top of architecture trends and being prepared to advise teams across Ford how to keep up

Ensuring solutions are fully aligned to the Ford technology strategy

This role is on-site in Dearborn, Michigan. Some travel to manufacturing and logistics sites around the world is expected.

As a Principal Architect, Industrial Systems, you will have the opportunity to work with a talented team of engineers and architects to design and implement cutting-edge industrial systems. You will be responsible for leading the development of the Industrial System's future state vision and roadmap, and for ensuring that systems adhere to both industry and company standards.

To be successful in this role, you will need to have a strong background in industrial systems architecture, as well as experience working with cross-functional teams to gather requirements and ensure the platform serves the needs of all internal and external stakeholders. You will also need to have excellent communication and collaboration skills, as well as the ability to lead by example and inspire others to do the same.

If you are a motivated and experienced industrial systems architect who is passionate about designing and implementing cutting-edge industrial systems, then we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field

15+ years of progressive responsibilities in IT or an IT focused business area

5+ years of experience in a field related to manufacturing or industrial systems

Working knowledge of cloud computing, especially Google Cloud Platform

Working knowledge of edge systems and on-premises computing in a manufacturing environment

Experienced in business and solutions architecture, including selection of tools and platforms

Strong outside-in perspective on the evolution of processes and technologies across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Quality domains

Knowledge and familiarity with strategic technology platforms, including the Dassault Systems 3DExperience suite, Siemens Team Center, SAP/S4 MRP, Jira/JSM, and data centric architecture

Knowledge of IT/OT integration and edge-to-cloud infrastructure optimization

Preferred Requirements

Master's degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field

Extensive demonstrated competency in Enterprise Architecture

Experience working in areas related to the Industrial System such as manufacturing, supply chain, product development and engineering, transportation and logistics, and other related fields

Understanding of how to apply Enterprise Architecture processes, tools, and viewpoints to a large, complex organization, and how to use EA skills to keep complexity at bay

Understanding of the special circumstances of the automotive industry

Working knowledge of AI, including traditional and generative AI, and how to apply it to real-world applications

Knowledge of “cloud native” concepts in software architecture and delivery

Working understanding of cybersecurity principles

Must be skilled at influencing leaders and workers across the company at many different levels

Must be able to think and act strategically, without constraints

Must be able to develop a team, including growing employees' performance and maturity, recruiting, and retaining key talent.

What We Can Offer

As part of the Ford family, you'll enjoy excellent compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes generous PTO, retirement, savings and stock investment plans, incentive compensation, and much more. You'll also experience exciting opportunities for professional and personal growth and recognition.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.