Job Description
Design Release Engineer - Interior Hard Trim and Overhead Systems
As a Hard Trim and Overhead Systems Design Release Engineer (DRE), you will be responsible to develop and integrate injection molded hard trim and overhead components into the vehicle interior. Specific component integration that you will be responsible for include:
Injection molded hard trim components.
Headliner substrate.
Overhead system components (lights, coat hooks, assist handles, etc.)
This position involves responsibility for development activities throughout a vehicle’s lifecycle including:
Definition of requirements
Design execution balancing imperatives (fit, finish, DFA, DFM, cost, etc.)
Release of all components
Approval of validation results
This role requires an engineer to lead and drive a cross-functional product development team including collaboration with the following groups:
Within Engineering –
Engineering Design
Interior Restraints Systems
Adjacent Interior Components
Body Systems
CCC Overhead and Hard Trim components
Electrical System
HVAC System
Cargo Management System
Outside of Engineering –
Creative Design
Purchasing
Ergonomics
Manufacturing
Value Added Assembler
Quality
Suppliers
Education Required:
Required Experience:
• 4+ years entry-level automotive experience
• Strong interest in learning about plastic materials, compression molding, and injection molding processes
• Experience using an engineering problem-solving process to define requirements, evaluate concepts, document decisions, and support testing or validation.
•Experience with 3D CAD, engineering drawings, basic GD&T, and dimensional evaluation.
•Hands-on experience with prototype builds, physical measurements, component fit, finish, ergonomics, or testing.
•Experience working with cross-functional teams and communicating technical information clearly to engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, or other stakeholders.
•Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and present technical recommendations using tools such as Excel or PowerPoint.
•Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, accountability, and willingness to learn within a structured engineering development environment.
Preferred Experience:
• Injection molding, compression molding, plastic materials, or interior trim experience.
• Automotive vehicle development, build, launch, or supplier experience.
• NX/Unigraphics, Teamcenter, Vis Mockup, or similar engineering tools.
• Exposure to DFMEA, PFMEA, DFSS, Red-X, structured problem solving, or PRTS.
• Experience evaluating fit, finish, tolerance variation, assembly ergonomics, or manufacturing feasibility.
• Experience supporting vehicle programs or collaborating with Design, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and suppliers.
