Test Operations Engineer - Powertrain

Test Operations Engineer – Powertrain The Test Operations Engineer will serve as the essential operational link between external test partners and our internal Powertrain engineering teams located in California and Michigan. This role focuses on the complex "moving parts" of Drive Unit validation (Motor, Inverter, and Gearbox). You will be responsible for triaging issues, managing asset lifecycles, and ensuring that technical feedback is distilled into clear, actionable directions to maintain a high-velocity testing environment. What you’ll be able to do: Bridge Internal & External Teams: Act as the primary operational interface between external test facilities and internal engineering hubs in California and Michigan, ensuring seamless alignment on priorities and progress. Issue Triage & Distillation: Review technical issues arising from Drive Unit testing; translate complex data sets and "arrays of operating conditions" into clear, specific questions for the HW/SW teams to ensure rapid resolution. End-to-End Issue Tracking: Own the Jira workflow for all powertrain test-related issues. Ensure every bug, failure, or observation is tracked, followed up on, and closed out without items getting mixed up or overlooked. Operational Continuity: Proactively identify bottlenecks in the testing process and implement solutions to maximize test cell uptime and ensure efficient turnover between test runs. Asset & Inventory Management: Maintain a precise, real-time inventory of all powertrain units, components, and specialized test equipment across multiple locations to ensure full visibility of the hardware lifecycle. Communication Leadership: Distill feedback from daily meetings and external reports into concise updates, ensuring that internal stakeholders have immediate clarity on test status and critical path items. Logistics & Readiness: Coordinate the movement of prototype hardware and components between test sites and internal labs, ensuring all parts are available and prepared for scheduled testing windows. Status Visualization: Maintain real-time dashboards and reporting tools to provide high-level visibility into the health and progress of all Drive Units currently under evaluation. The minimum requirements we seek: Location: Must be based in the Greater Detroit, MI area. Mobility: Ability to travel locally between Ford facilities and external test sites on a frequent basis. Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or a related technical field. 5+ years of experience in technical operations, test coordination, or systems engineering within an automotive or aerospace environment. Demonstrated success in a "liaison" or "bridge" role, managing complex communications between external vendors and distributed internal teams. Highly proficient in Jira or similar Agile project management tools, with a focus on issue triage and lifecycle management. Strong ability to synthesize technical information into actionable engineering tasks. Preferred Requirements: Experience with EV Powertrain components, including Motors, Inverters, or Gearboxes (Drive Units). Exceptional organizational skills with a proven track record of managing high-volume hardware inventories across multiple sites. A proactive mindset focused on "closing gaps" and anticipating schedule risks before they impact development timelines. Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to provide clear technical summaries for cross-functional teams. Capable of working safely with High Power, High Voltage systems. Familiarity with CAN/CAN FD/LIN communications. Ability to review test data using Diadem/VDC/MATLAB. Estimated Rates Min: $40.00 Max: $50.00 Benefits Medical, Prescription, Dental & Vision Benefits (for employees working 20+ hours per week) Health Savings Account (HSA) (for employees working 20+ hours per week) Life & Disability Insurance (for employees working 20+ hours per week) MetLife Voluntary Benefits Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 401K Retirement Savings Plan Direct Deposit & weekly epayroll Referral Bonus Programs Certification and training opportunities Equal Opportunity Employer Yoh, a Day & Zimmermann company, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Visit to contact us if you are an individual with a disability and require accommodation in the application process. For California applicants, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. All of the material job duties described in this posting are job duties for which a criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. #J-18808-Ljbffr Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company