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
The Senior Requirements & Systems Engineer is responsible for defining and driving the system-level architecture, requirements, and integration strategy across complex vehicle platforms. This role sits at the center of vehicle development, translating loosely defined customer, regulatory, and business needs into clear technical requirements and executable engineering frameworks. You will operate in a fast-moving environment where many processes, requirements, and system definitions may be incomplete, outdated, or do not yet exist. Success in this role requires the ability to create structure from ambiguity, make high-quality decisions with incomplete information, and align cross-functional teams around practical engineering solutions. This is not a maintenance role. This is a hands-on technical leadership position for someone who wants meaningful ownership, thrives in complex environments, and wants to help shape the future of Blue Bird’s vehicle platforms.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES
- Vehicle Architecture & System Definition: Support implementation and execution of the vehicle-level architecture through requirements development, interface management, and systems integration activities.
- Requirements Ownership & Creation: Create, refine, and manage product and system requirements where none exist or where legacy requirements are incomplete, outdated, or disconnected from current vehicle designs.
- Interface Control & ICD Ownership: Develop and manage Interface Control Documents (ICDs) across chassis, body, propulsion, electrical, and controls systems, ensuring compatibility, traceability, and integration readiness throughout development.
- Cross-System Integration: Drive integration across mechanical, electrical, software, and controls domains, ensuring vehicle systems function together reliably and without unintended interactions.
- Requirements Traceability & Verification: Establish and maintain traceability between customer needs, vehicle requirements, subsystem requirements, and validation activities using tools such as JIRA, or equivalent systems.
- System Trade-Offs & Decision Making: Lead trade-off discussions involving performance, weight, cost, manufacturability, serviceability, and program timing. Make timely engineering decisions in ambiguous and fast-paced environments.
- Cross-Functional Technical Leadership: Drive alignment across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams. Resolve conflicting priorities through clear technical direction and practical decision-making.
- New Platform & Technology Integration: Support the integration of new vehicle platforms, propulsion systems, and advanced technologies into scalable, production-ready vehicle architectures.
- Technical Issue Resolution: Lead investigation and resolution of cross-functional integration issues involving electrical communication, controls, packaging conflicts, system interactions, and vehicle-level behavior.
- Regulatory & Functional Compliance: Ensure system requirements and integrated vehicle functions align with applicable safety, accessibility, and regulatory standards.
- Process & Systems Development: Help establish scalable systems engineering practices, requirements frameworks, and integration processes that improve engineering execution without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
https://www.rockfortengineering.com/careers/vehicle-systems-engineer
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES FOR SUCCESS
- Strong understanding of vehicle system architecture and cross-domain integration (mechanical, electrical, software, thermal)
- Experience developing and managing product or system requirements in complex automotive engineering environments
- Working knowledge of vehicle communication networks including CAN, LIN, and Automotive Ethernet
- Familiarity with tools such as Vector CANoe/CANalyzer or equivalent diagnostic and communication analysis platforms
- Familiarity with MBSE methodologies and requirements management tools such as IBM DOORS, Polarion, JIRA, or equivalent
- Ability to create structure and drive execution in low-process or rapidly evolving organizations
- Strong systems thinking and ability to balance technical trade-offs across competing priorities
- Experience influencing cross-functional teams without formal authority
- Demonstrated experience defining and managing system requirements, interfaces, or vehicle architecture
- Experience supporting programs through prototype builds, integration, validation, and production launch
- Experience with commercial vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, or incomplete vehicle integration
- Experience operating in low-process or rapidly scaling engineering organizations
- Familiarity with systems engineering standards and MBSE methodologies
BASIC EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Bachelor’s degree in automotive, mechanical or systems engineering
- 4+ years of hands-on experience in automotive systems development, integration, and validation
- 3+ years’ experience in vehicle architecture, integration, or chassis systems
- 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 EDUCATION AND EXPEREINCE:
- Master’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline
WE VALUE
- Takes ownership of difficult technical problems and drives them to resolution
- Operates with urgency while maintaining strong engineering judgment
- Thinks in systems and interfaces, not isolated components
- Can balance technical depth with practical execution
- Is comfortable challenging assumptions and driving change
- Wants meaningful impact and accountability, not narrowly defined tasks
- Ability to anticipate and understand customer needs and provide guidance
- Excellent interpersonal and customer relationship skills to handle difficult and sensitive matters.
- Strong project management skills. Exposure to difficult or complex projects a plus.
- Ability to influence stakeholders
- Effective communication and ability to communicate complex details in a clear manner.
- Flexible workspaces and work hours to help you unleash the best you.
- Working in a collaborative team and balancing the needs of individual stakeholders while delivering corporate objectives.
INCLUDES
- Continued Professional Development
- Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matching
WORK 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
- Travel up to 20%
*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.
#LI-Onsite
Qualifications Experience Required Experience in vehicle architecture, integration, or chassis systems. Hands-on experience in automotive systems development, integration, and validation. Equal Opportunity EmployerThis employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in automotive, mechanical, or systems engineering
- 4+ years hands-on experience in automotive systems development, integration, and validation
- 3+ years experience in vehicle architecture, integration, or chassis systems
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and authorized to work in the United States
- Working knowledge of vehicle communication networks (CAN, LIN, Automotive Ethernet)
- Familiarity with Vector CANoe and CANalyzer or equivalent diagnostic/communication analysis tools
- Familiarity with MBSE methodologies and requirements management tools such as IBM DOORS, Polarion, JIRA, or equivalent
- Experience supporting programs through prototype builds, integration, validation, and production launch
- Experience with commercial vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, or incomplete vehicle integration
- Master's degree in engineering or related technical discipline
Blue Bird Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Blue Bird and has not been reviewed or approved by Blue Bird.
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Pay Growth & Progression — The 2024 collective bargaining agreement delivered meaningful wage increases for covered hourly employees, with larger boosts at the lowest pay bands. Subsequent contractual provisions point to a structurally improved earnings path for many production roles.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Overtime availability and profit sharing lift overall earnings potential, particularly in production settings. The contract formalized profit sharing and added financial provisions that enhance variable pay.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with Roth option and an employer match is offered, and the union agreement introduced a defined‑contribution retirement plan for covered workers. Company materials indicate employer contributions are part of the total rewards package.
Blue Bird Insights
What We Do
About Us Blue Bird offers a complete line of Type A, C and D school buses in a variety of options and configurations. Since 1927, Blue Bird Corporation has continued to set industry standards with its innovative design and manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, Blue Bird provides comprehensive financial solutions through Blue Bird Capital Services. Today, Blue Bird has more than 1,600 employees, Georgia-based manufacturing facilities and an extensive network of Dealers and Parts & Service facilities throughout North America. Its global presence can be seen in more than 60 countries through sales into Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Our Promise We are singularly focused on building and selling school buses that customers want and value. The safety of schoolchildren is at the center of all that we do and we will strive every day, just as we have since our beginning in 1927, to provide an unparalleled and affordable product in terms of safety, quality, durability, and serviceability. We will be easy to do business with, responsive to our customers' wants and needs, and provide prompt after-sale support in parts and service through a professional, high-qualified distribution network. Customer satisfaction is our top priority. What We Stand For We come to work every day with one common goal, to design, build, sell and service the world's finest school bus. That's what we do - no distractions, no competing priorities. We are heirs to a rich legacy, one of listening to our customers, embracing their needs, and delivering innovations that lead the market. We commit ourselves to four driving priorities - safety, quality, durability, and serviceability. We embody the interests of every child that rides us, every driver that drives us, every service technician that services us and every district that buys us. More than a business, this work is our heritage, and we have been at it since 1927 - that's purpose driven.
