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Blue Bird Corporation
Sr. Electrical Architecture Engineer
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What they do
An Electrical Engineer designs, develops, and tests products and systems that use or produce electricity, including power generators, electric motors, radar and navigation systems, and communication systems. Works on larger electrical systems rather than small electronic products or devices.
$101,067 / year median in Michigan
-8% projected decline
Job Description
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.
JOB SUMMARY
The Lead Electrical Architecture Engineer is responsible for defining and implementing the electrical architecture for next-generation commercial vehicle platforms from concept through production launch. This role owns the vehicle electrical backbone, including low- and high-voltage power distribution, communication networks, electrical interfaces, wiring architecture, and system integration strategy.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Electrical Architecture Ownership:
Define and own the vehicle electrical architecture, including power distribution strategy, grounding philosophy, wiring topology, electrical interfaces, and system partitioning.Vehicle Network Architecture:
Develop CAN, J1939, LIN, Automotive Ethernet, and future communication network architectures supporting propulsion, body controls, diagnostics, telematics, and vehicle systems.High-Voltage & Low-Voltage Integration:
Lead integration of 12V/24V electrical systems and high-voltage propulsion architectures, including batteries, inverters, DC/DC converters, charging systems, and power electronics.Electrical Interface Definition:
Develop and maintain electrical interface definitions, connector strategies, communication mappings, and integration requirements between vehicle systems and suppliers.Wiring & Harness Architecture:
Define vehicle wiring architecture, harness topology, routing strategy, electrical protection, connector selection, and serviceability requirements.Cross-Functional Systems Integration:
Partner with Systems Integration, Propulsion Integration, Vehicle Integration & Validation, Manufacturing, Quality, and Program Management teams to ensure electrical architecture supports vehicle-level integration and launch readiness.Supplier & External Engineering Leadership:
Provide technical direction to suppliers and external engineering partners while maintaining ownership of electrical architecture, design quality, technical deliverables, and engineering decisions.Validation & Launch Support:
Support prototype builds, validation testing, manufacturing launch, and early production by resolving electrical integration issues and ensuring production-ready system performance.Standards & Technical Governance:
Develop electrical design standards, architecture guidelines, best practices, and reusable design strategies to improve engineering consistency and future platform scalability.Regulatory Compliance:
Ensure electrical architectures comply with FMVSS, SAE, ISO, EMC, cybersecurity, and applicable commercial vehicle regulations and industry standards. Operate inAmbiguity:
Create structure and drive execution in environments where requirements, technologies, and vehicle architectures are evolving simultaneously.KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES FOR SUCCESS
Deep understanding of vehicle electrical architecture and electrical systems integration Strong experience designing CAN, J1939, LIN, Automotive Ethernet, and multiplexed vehicle communication networks Experience developing high-voltage and low-voltage electrical architectures for commercial or automotive vehicle platforms Expertise with ECAD tools such as Siemens Capital, Zuken E3.series, AutoCAD Electrical, or equivalent Strong understanding of electrical distribution, grounding strategies, power management, and wiring architecture Experience developing wiring harness architecture, connector strategies, and electrical interface definitions Familiarity with Vector CANalyzer, CANoe, CANape, and electrical diagnostic tools Strong understanding of electrical DFMEA, DVP&R, requirements management, and systems integration methodologies Ability to provide technical leadership across internal engineering teams, suppliers, and outsourced engineering organizations Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and technical decision-making skillsBASIC EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field 8+ years of experience developing electrical architectures, vehicle electrical systems, or electrical integration for automotive, commercial vehicle, or heavy-duty vehicle platforms 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.PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
Demonstrated experience defining vehicle electrical architecture, communication networks, and electrical integration strategies for production vehicle programs Experience leading cross-functional electrical integration activities through prototype development, validation, manufacturing launch, and production Experience working directly with suppliers and external engineering organizations Experience implementing multiplex electrical systems and distributed vehicle controls Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), SysML, or architecture modeling tools Familiarity with functional safety (ISO 26262), cybersecurity (ISO/SAE 21434), and ASPICE principles Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related disciplineWE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO
Takes ownership of complex technical challenges and drives them to resolution Thrives in ambiguity and enjoys creating new architectures from a clean sheet Operates with urgency while maintaining sound engineering judgment Thinks in systems, interfaces, and long-term platform strategy Can balance engineering rigor with manufacturing realities, supplier capabilities, and aggressive launch timing Can influence technical direction across cross-functional teams and external engineering partners without direct authority Wants meaningful ownership over the electrical architecture of an entirely new commercial vehicle platformINCLUDES
Continued Professional Development Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matchingWORK CONDITIONS
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Office environment and production environment Must work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to heat, cold and noise Fast-paced production area with moving objects and sheet metal Occasional periods of standing or sitting for extended periods of time You must wear appropriate PPE when and where required Frequent weeks working 40+ hours Frequent communication with people throughout the day- The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive.