About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.
JOB SUMMARY:
Reporting to the Senior Director of Electrical Engineering, the Principal Design Engineer, Electrical serves as a technical authority for vehicle electrical/electronic architecture, including wiring harnesses, power and ground distribution, electronic control modules, embedded controls, and software integration. This senior individual contributor establishes technical direction across vehicle platforms, translates vehicle functions into coordinated hardware and software requirements, and leads complex system integration and issue resolution from concept through production and field support. The role combines deep, hands-on expertise in one or more electrical/electronic disciplines with broad systems knowledge, cross-functional technical leadership, development of engineering standards, and mentorship of engineers at all levels. Working with internal teams and suppliers, this position delivers safe, reliable, manufacturable, and serviceable systems across gas, diesel, LPG, and electric vehicle applications. Technical leadership and influence are central to the role; direct people-management responsibility is not required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Define and maintain the vehicle electrical/electronic architecture roadmap across platforms, encompassing wiring harnesses, power distribution, electronic modules, networks, and hardware/software interfaces; balance functionality, commonality, scalability, reliability, cost, and serviceability.
- Lead electrical design and integration decisions involving power budgeting, circuit protection, grounding, wiring harnesses, connectors, and electrical interfaces; guide schematic and detailed design reviews for electrical robustness, manufacturability, and serviceability.
- Lead architecture and design reviews, resolve cross-system technical trade-offs, and provide technical approval recommendations within delegated authority. Mentor engineers at all levels and influence technical decisions across organizational boundaries.
- Translate vehicle functions and customer needs into traceable system, module, hardware, and software requirements, including interfaces, operating states, timing, fault responses, and acceptance criteria; address applicable FMVSS, state, federal, and customer requirements with responsible stakeholders.
- Lead technical definition, selection, development, and integration of electronic control modules, sensors, actuators, and intelligent power-distribution devices, including supplier-developed solutions; define module inputs/outputs, electrical characteristics, interfaces, and validation expectations.
- Guide development and review of control strategies, state machines, interlocks, diagnostics, calibration approaches, and fault management to achieve intended vehicle behavior under normal and fault conditions.
- Provide technical leadership for embedded software requirements, architecture and interface reviews, integration, configuration, verification, and release readiness in collaboration with internal software teams and suppliers. Perform hands-on controls or software development where aligned with the assigned technical specialization.
- Define and review vehicle network communication interfaces, message requirements, diagnostic behavior, and troubleshooting strategies across interconnected modules.
- Establish requirements-based verification strategies spanning simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, prototype, bench, and vehicle testing, as applicable. Serve as a technical escalation point for development, manufacturing, and field issues; lead root-cause analysis across wiring, power supply, module hardware, communications, controls, calibration, and software, and verify corrective actions.
- Partner with systems, software, mechanical, powertrain, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, and service teams to deliver integrated solutions that meet performance, design-for-manufacturing, cost, timing, and lifecycle objectives. Lead supplier technical engagement on specifications, component selection, design maturity, integration risks, and corrective actions.
- Establish engineering standards, analysis methods, reusable designs, and review criteria across electrical hardware, controls, and software interfaces. Guide FMEA, requirements traceability, change-impact assessment, and hardware/software configuration compatibility; document technical decisions and communicate risks and recommendations to stakeholders.
- Evaluate emerging electrical/electronic technologies and development methods for practical application to vehicle platforms; incorporate lessons learned from validation, production, and field operation into standards and future designs.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Demonstrated systems thinking and technical leadership across complex vehicle electrical/electronic programs, from requirements and architecture through production launch and field support.
- Ability to define and assess interfaces among wiring, power distribution, electronic modules, embedded controls, and software; diagnose complex issues using electrical measurements, network data, diagnostic information, and software or calibration evidence.
- Demonstrated delivery of complex systems through production implementation, resolution of cross-system technical issues, and development of engineering practices adopted beyond a single project. Software technical leadership and integration expertise are required; hands-on production coding experience is required only when included in the assigned technical specialization.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical issues, document trade-offs, present evidence-based recommendations, and influence stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
- Proficiency in tools appropriate to the candidate’s technical specialization, with working knowledge of complementary development tools. Examples include schematic and harness CAD; MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent modeling tools; CAN analysis, diagnostics, and data logging; C/C++, Python, version control, and embedded debugging; requirements management; and automated, software-in-the-loop, or hardware-in-the-loop testing. Mastery of every listed tool is not required.
- Working knowledge of applicable vehicle electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility, homologation, and FMVSS requirements, with the ability to translate relevant requirements into design and verification activities.
- Deep expertise in one or more core disciplines: electrical hardware and harness/power-distribution architecture; electronic module development and integration; embedded controls, modeling, and calibration; or embedded software architecture, development, debugging, and integration. Broad working knowledge across the complementary disciplines is required.
- Experience integrating new features and internally developed or supplier-provided systems into existing and new vehicle architectures, with disciplined management of interfaces and hardware/software compatibility.
- Experience with requirements management, design reviews, FMEA, verification planning, engineering change control, and configuration management; ability to establish reusable standards and develop the technical capability of other engineers.
BASIC EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline from an accredited university. Candidates with a Mechanical Engineering degree must demonstrate substantial relevant electrical/electronic systems expertise.
- 7+ years of progressively responsible engineering experience developing and integrating vehicle electrical/electronic systems, with demonstrated technical leadership across multiple complex programs or vehicle platforms and deep expertise in electrical architecture, electronic modules, embedded controls, and/or embedded software.
- All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
WE VALUE
- Customer-focused systems thinking that anticipates vehicle, manufacturing, and service needs and translates them into practical engineering solutions.
- Sound technical judgment, constructive technical challenge, and respectful collaboration when addressing complex or sensitive issues.
- Ability to lead technically ambiguous, high-complexity initiatives, prioritize risks, and drive decisions and execution across organizational boundaries.
- Technical influence without direct authority, grounded in evidence, clear reasoning, and shared engineering objectives.
- Clear communication of complex concepts, technical risks, and trade-offs to engineering teams, suppliers, customers, and leadership.
- Continuous learning, hands-on problem solving, and a commitment to mentoring and sharing knowledge across technical disciplines.
- Collaborative ownership of outcomes, balancing stakeholder needs while delivering vehicle-platform and corporate objectives.
INCLUDES
- Continued Professional Development
- Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matching
- Flexible workspaces and work hours that help you unleash the best you.
*The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
Blue Bird® is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We strive to have the best available talent in every job based on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities each person brings. Blue Bird is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in Company operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination in all forms.
All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.