Product Integration & Applications Engineering Lead

Product Integration And Applications Engineering LeadBlue 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 Product Integration and Applications Engineering Lead owns the technical product definition for a new commercial chassis platform from concept through production launch.This role serves as the engineering authority for product configurations, application compatibility, option governance, interface requirements, and body integration throughout the product lifecycle. Working across Engineering, Manufacturing, Strategic Sourcing, Sales, body manufacturers, suppliers, and customers, this position ensures every vehicle configuration is technically feasible, manufacturable, serviceable, and commercially viable.This role establishes and leads the Applications Engineering function, defining the engineering processes, technical standards, and product governance required to support scalable product configurations, body integrations, customer applications, and future platform growth while providing technical leadership to a growing team of Applications Engineers.This is a high-autonomy leadership role for an experienced engineer who thrives in ambiguity, makes complex engineering decisions with confidence, and wants meaningful ownership over how a new commercial chassis platform is configured, integrated, and brought to market.Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesProduct Definition Ownership: Own the technical product definition, feature content, option strategy, and configuration architecture across the commercial chassis platform throughout the product lifecycle.Requirements Management: Develop, manage, and maintain vehicle, customer, regulatory, body builder, and application requirements while ensuring complete traceability through engineering, validation, manufacturing, and production.Body Builder Integration: Serve as the primary engineering interface for body manufacturers by defining chassis interfaces, body mounting requirements, electrical interfaces, dimensional envelopes, installation requirements, and integration standards.Configuration & Option Management: Own vehicle configurations, option compatibility, feature dependencies, ordering logic, and engineering constraints to ensure technically valid, manufacturable, and customer-ready product offerings.Product Governance & Interface Control: Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs), application specifications, body builder manuals, configuration standards, engineering requirements, and technical documentation governing product compatibility and system interfaces.Engineering Change Management: Evaluate engineering changes for technical feasibility, product compatibility, customer applications, manufacturing impact, option logic, and downstream configuration effects.Cross-Functional Product Leadership: Partner with Systems Engineering, Vehicle Integration, Manufacturing, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain, Sales, Quality, and Program Management to maintain a controlled, scalable, and consistent product definition throughout development and launch.Customer & Application Engineering: Provide technical leadership to customers, dealers, distributors, body manufacturers, and internal teams regarding vehicle applications, configuration feasibility, interface requirements, and special application requests.Product Complexity Management: Lead initiatives to simplify product offerings by balancing customer flexibility with engineering complexity, manufacturing efficiency, serviceability, lifecycle cost, and long-term product sustainability.Applications Engineering Leadership: Build and lead the Applications Engineering function by establishing engineering standards, developing team capability, mentoring engineers, and driving consistent execution across customer application and product integration activities.Prototype, Launch & Production Support: Support prototype builds, manufacturing launch, and early production by resolving product definition issues, configuration conflicts, and application-related engineering challenges.Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure and drive execution where product requirements, customer applications, engineering constraints, and business priorities evolve simultaneously.Knowledge, Skills and Abilities for SuccessDeep understanding of commercial vehicle product architecture, configurable product development, and body-on-chassis integrationExperience developing and managing product requirements, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), configuration management, and engineering change controlStrong understanding of configurable product architectures, option logic, engineering releases, and product lifecycle management (PLM)Experience working directly with body manufacturers, upfitters, OEM partners, customers, or vehicle integration organizationsAbility to translate customer and market requirements into scalable engineering solutions and configurable vehicle offeringsExperience leading cross-functional technical initiatives across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, suppliers, sales, and commercial organizationsStrong technical leadership, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skillsAbility to balance customer requirements, engineering constraints, manufacturing capability, and commercial objectives while maintaining product governanceBasic Education and Experience RequiredBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or related engineering discipline8+ years of experience in product engineering, systems engineering, applications engineering, vehicle integration, configuration management, or commercial vehicle product developmentAll 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 ExperienceDemonstrated ownership of configurable vehicle products from concept through production launchExperience developing product requirements, interface definitions, engineering changes, product configurations, and application strategiesExperience working directly with customers, body manufacturers, suppliers, and cross-functional engineering organizationsDemonstrated experience providing technical leadership, mentoring engineers, or leading engineering teams within a product development environmentExperience with commercial chassis, incomplete vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, vocational vehicles, or medium- or heavy-duty truck applicationsExperience supporting body builder integration, upfitter engineering, or OEM body integration programsExperience implementing configurable product strategies for highly configurable vehicle platformsExperience with requirements management, systems engineering, configuration management, or PLM toolsExperience supporting clean-sheet vehicle development or accelerated product launchesMaster's degree in Engineering or a related technical disciplineExperience building, leading, or scaling an Applications Engineering or Product Integration organizationWe're Looking for Someone WhoTakes ownership of complex product definition and integration challenges and drives them to resolutionThrives in fast-paced environments where requirements, customer needs, and engineering priorities evolve rapidlyMakes sound engineering decisions independently while balancing technical, manufacturing, commercial, and customer considerationsThinks at the complete vehicle level and understands how configuration decisions impact engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, customers, and long-term product strategyBuilds alignment across cross-functional organizations while maintaining clear technical ownership and accountabilityEnjoys building teams, developing engineering capability, and creating scalable engineering processes without unnecessary bureaucracyWants meaningful autonomy and the opportunity to shape how a new commercial chassis platform is configured, integrated, and successfully deployed across multiple marketsIncludesContinued Professional DevelopmentBenefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matchingWork ConditionsOffice environment and production environmentMust work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to heat, cold and noiseFast-paced production area with moving objects and sheet metalOccasional periods of standing or sitting for extended periods of timeYou must wear appropriate PPE when and where requiredFrequent weeks working 40+ hoursFrequent communication with people throughout the dayBlue 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