Sr. Chassis & Vehicle Integration Engineer

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.

 The Sr. Chassis & Vehicle Integration Engineer is responsible for physical vehicle integration, packaging execution, prototype support, and manufacturing implementation across complex vehicle platforms.

This role owns how propulsion, electrical, thermal, controls, and supporting vehicle systems physically integrate into the chassis while ensuring manufacturability, serviceability, durability, and production readiness. Responsibilities include packaging, mounting strategy, routing execution, subsystem fitment, installation feasibility, and rapid resolution of real-world integration issues throughout prototype, launch, and production phases. This role works closely with the Systems & Integration Lead and Vehicle Integration & Validation Lead, who maintain ownership of vehicle architecture, system governance, and vehicle-level validation strategy. The Chassis & Vehicle Integration Lead is specifically responsible for the execution of physical integration within the chassis and manufacturing environment. This is a hands-on execution leadership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves with urgency, and wants meaningful ownership over real-world vehicle integration and launch execution.

• →Vehicle Integration Execution: Lead physical integration of propulsion, electrical, thermal, controls, and body systems into vehicle chassis platforms.
• →Packaging & Envelope Ownership: Own vehicle packaging, installation feasibility, routing, mounting strategy, and subsystem fitment while ensuring manufacturability, serviceability, durability, and production readiness.
• →Prototype & Launch Support: Support prototype builds, pilot phases, and manufacturing launch activities by identifying integration issues, resolving packaging conflicts, and driving rapid corrective actions directly within build environments.
• →Manufacturing & Operations Support: Work directly with manufacturing and operations teams to resolve build issues, improve integration execution, and maintain launch readiness throughout production ramp activities.
• →Cross-Functional Technical Coordination: Partner closely with propulsion, electrical, validation, manufacturing, supplier, and program teams to maintain alignment across integration activities, packaging constraints, and launch objectives.
• →Supplier & External Engineering Coordination: Coordinate technical execution activities with suppliers and external engineering partners to support packaging development, prototype readiness, and integration issue resolution.
• →Integration Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis: Lead rapid root cause investigations and corrective actions involving packaging conflicts, routing issues, subsystem interfaces, manufacturing variation, and field integration concerns.
• →Documentation & Release Support: Develop and maintain integration layouts, installation requirements, engineering documentation, release support materials, and manufacturing implementation documentation.
• →Regulatory & Customer Requirement Support: Support compliance activities related to FMVSS, customer requirements, and commercial vehicle integration standards.
• →Continuous Improvement & Launch Feedback: Provide direct feedback from prototype, launch, manufacturing, and field environments to improve future packaging strategies, integration standards, and production execution.
• →Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure and drive execution in environments where requirements, packaging constraints, manufacturing realities, and operational challenges evolve simultaneously.Perform other related duties as assigned.

• Strong understanding of vehicle integration, chassis systems, packaging, and manufacturing implementation

• Hands-on problem-solving capability within prototype, launch, or manufacturing environments
• Experience with CAD tool CATIA or NX
• Strong understanding of manufacturability, serviceability, durability, and assembly impacts of integration decisions
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, thermal, and subsystem integration issues
• Strong communication and cross-functional coordination capability
• Ability to work independently and drive issues to closure in fast-paced environments
• Comfortable operating with urgency, ambiguity, and evolving priorities

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field from an accredited university
• 5+ years of experience in vehicle integration, chassis design engineering, prototype support, or complex vehicle development
• 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.

• Experience with commercial vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, or complex vehicle integration programs
• Experience supporting low- or zero-emission vehicle platforms
• Experience supporting fast-paced launches or rapidly evolving engineering organizations
• Experience supporting plant-floor issue resolution, prototype builds, or manufacturing launch activities
• Experience working with suppliers or external engineering partners on integration execution

• Takes ownership of difficult integration and manufacturing challenges and drives them to resolution
• Thrives in fast-paced environments where priorities and technical challenges evolve quickly
• Operates with urgency while maintaining strong engineering judgment
• Is comfortable working directly in prototype, manufacturing, and operational environments
• Can balance engineering intent, manufacturing realities, packaging constraints, and launch timing

Wants meaningful ownership over real-world vehicle integration and launch execution

• Continued Professional Development
• Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matching

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
• Up to 20% travel

*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.

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