Director, Core Runtime & Platform Engineering · Ford Motor Company

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:15:08 GMT
Engineering

Ford Motor Company · Palo Alto · hybrid

Ford Motor Company is transforming manufacturing into a software-defined, intelligent, and globally connected system. Within the Advanced Technology & Platforms (ATP) organization, the Core vertical builds the foundational platform stack that powers this transformation across Ford's global manufacturing network.

The Director, Core Runtime & Platform Engineering leads the engineering organization responsible for the runtime, edge, connectivity, cloud infrastructure, developer platform, and reliability layers that enable CoreOS and FMIL to operate securely and at scale across plants, vehicle programs, and ATP product platforms.

This leader builds the platform backbone that connects industrial devices, controls, real-time signals, and manufacturing applications into a unified execution environment, while also delivering APIs, SDKs, and reusable platform services that allow teams to build once and scale consistently across Ford.

Reporting to the Director of Software, Controls & Diagnostics (CoreOS, FMIL & CoreDS), this role is central to delivering the runtime and signal layer that powers ATP's 'Build Once, Scale Everywhere' strategy and enables closed-loop learning across manufacturing systems.

Responsibilities:

1. Lead the Core Runtime Platform

Architect and deliver the runtime platform that powers CoreOS and FMIL across Ford manufacturing environments

Build a secure, scalable execution layer supporting orchestration, device integration, event processing, and platform interoperability

Enable FMIL as the real-time signal, orchestration, and decisioning layer connecting factory systems and applications

Establish platform standards for runtime services, deployment models, lifecycle management, and system interfaces

Drive the evolution of Core from point solutions into a globally managed industrial software platform

1. Build the Core Developer Platform (APIs & SDKs)

Define and deliver platform APIs, SDKs, and shared services enabling ATP products and engineering teams to build on Core

Create reusable primitives for telemetry, eventing, orchestration, device abstraction, identity, and policy control

Establish developer standards, tooling, and integration patterns to eliminate one-off solutions across plants and products

Enable Forge, Sight, Print, Volt, and future platforms to extend Core through standardized interfaces and services

Drive platform adoption by improving developer productivity, consistency, and reuse

1. Industrial Edge & Distributed Systems

Lead development of edge computing platforms for real-time manufacturing environments

Architect distributed systems supporting high-throughput, low-latency workloads across thousands of factory devices

Build resilient edge runtimes supporting local processing, failover, and intermittent connectivity

Establish orchestration patterns across cells, lines, plants, and global manufacturing networks

1. Device Connectivity & Industrial Middleware

Own the middleware connecting PLCs, robotics, vision systems, and industrial equipment to Core platforms

Standardize interfaces for telemetry, command/control, and interoperability across manufacturing systems

Define integration patterns across protocols such as EtherCAT, Profinet, Ethernet/IP, CAN, OPC UA, MQTT, TCP/IP, and gRPC

Build reusable adapters, APIs, and SDKs that simplify onboarding of factory devices and applications

Ensure consistent publishing of factory signals into FMIL and CoreDS

1. Cloud & Hybrid Platform Infrastructure

Architect and operate hybrid edge-cloud infrastructure connecting plant environments with centralized cloud platforms

Build and manage cloud-based control planes for orchestration, fleet management, telemetry aggregation, and lifecycle control

Design secure edge-to-cloud patterns enabling global visibility, coordination, and system-level optimization

Develop cloud-native services supporting CoreOS, FMIL, and CoreDS at enterprise scale

Partner with data and enterprise teams to enable scalable storage, compute, and processing capabilities

1. Real-Time Data, Telemetry & CoreDS Integration

Build real-time ingestion and streaming systems connecting factory signals to CoreDS

Ensure seamless integration between edge-generated data and cloud data platforms

Enable high-fidelity data pipelines supporting AI/ML, diagnostics, analytics, and traceability

Support closed-loop systems where factory signals → insights → actions continuously improve performance

Contribute to manufacturing data models, access patterns, and system-wide data consistency

1. Observability, Diagnostics & Runtime Integrity

Build platform-wide observability across edge and cloud environments using tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, and OpenTelemetry

Enable real-time monitoring, alerting, and diagnostics across all deployments

Ensure runtime and telemetry signals are high-quality, structured, and actionable

Support diagnostics and AI/ML systems through reliable signal and data availability

Improve transparency and operational trust across engineering, launch, and plant teams

1. Reliability, Deployment & Global Scale

Define deployment, rollout, upgrade, and rollback strategies across edge, on-prem, and cloud environments

Establish SRE and release engineering practices for mission-critical manufacturing systems

Define SLAs for uptime, latency, reliability, and deployment stability

Lead global rollout of Core platforms aligned to ATP lifecycle models (TRL/MRL/IRL) and launch playbooks

Partner with Launch, Field, Compass, and product teams to enable repeatable, scalable deployments

1. Engineering Leadership & System Execution

Build and lead a high-performing engineering organization across runtime, edge, infrastructure, connectivity, and platform domains

Drive engineering excellence in architecture, SDLC, testing, release management, and operational rigor

Develop senior technical talent and create clear career pathways tied to platform and business outcomes

Align execution with ATP operating model, lifecycle governance, and platform priorities

Translate strategy into roadmaps, staffing plans, and delivery execution

1. Cross-Functional Platform Leadership

Partner with Controls, Diagnostics, Data, and ATP vertical teams to deliver integrated manufacturing platforms

Align with plant operations, global manufacturing engineering, and vehicle programs

Contribute to enterprise standards for software-defined manufacturing and industrial platform architecture

Support system priorities including runtime adoption, AIR integration, diagnostics readiness, and platform reuse

Serve as a key leader in shaping Ford's software-defined manufacturing platform strategy

What success looks like...

A standardized Core runtime platform deployed across plants, programs, and ATP products

A scalable edge-to-cloud operating model enabling global orchestration and visibility

Broad adoption of APIs, SDKs, and platform services across engineering teams

Reliable, high-quality factory data powering CoreDS, analytics, and AI/ML systems

Closed-loop learning systems improving manufacturing performance through real-time signals

Increased platform reuse across sites, reducing duplication and accelerating