Ford Motor Company

Product Development Engineer - Latching Mechanisms

Ford Motor Company$74K — $166K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field.
  • 2+ years of engineering experience in automotive mechanisms design or launch.
  • CAD proficiency (e.g., CATIA, Teamcenter) and familiarity with CAE tools.
  • Experience managing product release CAD and BOM structures.
  • Ability to manage multiple issues and prioritize workload effectively.
  • Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
  • Proficiency in MS Office applications.

Responsibilities

  • Manage and lead suppliers to meet cost, quality, and timing targets.
  • Create actionable plans in accordance with Global Product Development System (GPDS) requirements.
  • Collaborate with teams to validate HLM components' system interfaces.
  • Develop and present technical presentations for reviews.
  • Perform technical analyses and design reviews, ensuring compliance with standards.
  • Release and update parts through the product life cycle using FEDEBOM and WERS.
  • Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.

Benefits

  • Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
  • Flexible family care days and paid parental leave.
  • Family building benefits including adoption and fertility treatments.
  • Vehicle discount program available for employees and family.
  • Tuition assistance for further education.
  • Employee resource groups for diverse communities.
  • Generous paid time off, including holidays and community service.
Full Job Description
Job Description

In this position...

The HLM Design and Release Engineer is responsible for the design, development, validation, release and implementation of handles, locks, and mechanisms into vehicle closures (hoods/frunks, side doors, tailgates, liftgates, decklids).

You will also drive for design improvements to increase quality and optimize cost/weight throughout development as well as through the production life of the products. In addition, you will lead the suppliers and guide the design of the HLM components, achieving compliance to Requirements & Design Rules, managing attributes (package, design feasibility, NVH, water management, craftsmanship, crash safety) as well as the manufacturing assembly requirements at the assembly plant(s).

Responsibilities

What you'll do...
  • Manage and lead the HLM suppliers to comply with program cost, weight, quality, performance, and timing targets.
  • Understand GPDS (Global Product Development System) and create plans to deliver on time.
  • Collaborate with cross functional teams to deliver a robust system at vehicle level, ensuring all system interfaces of the HLM components are evaluated and validated.
  • Create and present technical presentations for peer and management reviews.
  • Perform and/or review & sign off technical analyses of component/system functional and packaging studies such as: dimensional stackups (GD&T layouts), CAE's, dynamic calculations and simulations, etc.
  • Actively participate in the Technical Design Reviews.
  • Release and update parts in FEDEBOM and WERS through the product life cycle.
  • Review and sign-off CAD in Teamcenter
  • Compile, document, sign-off, and present evidence of compliance to all applicable design rules and requirements.
  • Develop HLM System documents including DFMEAs, SCCAF, Boundary Diagrams, P-Diagrams, & DVP&Rs
  • Lead design reviews based on Failure Mode Avoidance.
  • Develop ESOW (Engineering Statement of Work), EC (Engineering concepts) and participate in the Sourcing Process (SOBA, ED&T review, piece cost and tooling cost review.
  • Identify validation, durability and functional tests required as per SDS & ES. (DVP / FEDE)
  • Address issues with root cause analysis (8Ds, 3x5Why) and permanent corrective actions implementation.
  • Apply knowledge of six sigma principles.
  • Define and verify engineering prototypes requirements at part level.
  • Parts implementation/Sign-off at assembly plant & assistance with quality issues at all milestones.
  • Review impact of PDL revisions and proceed accordingly if affected.
  • Collaborate with STA with technical assistance through the Supplier Engagement Process.
  • Deliver by applying the One Ford Behaviors.
  • Travel to supplier manufacturing and testing sites when required.
  • Travel to North America plants when required.


Qualifications

You'll have...

Minimum Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree or higher in mechanical engineering or a related field.
  • 2+ years of engineering experience in design, development, or launch of automotive mechanisms. Can include experience from internships and coursework.
  • CAD Capable (such as CATIA, 3DX, Teamcenter) & familiarity with CAE tools and software.
  • The D&R Engineer is responsible for managing product release CAD and BOM structures, including assembly positioning and mass attribute analysis. This role also includes facilitating supplier data integration and developing CAD studies to support and drive design improvements.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple issues effectively and efficiently
  • Demonstrated ability to show initiative and prioritize workload.
  • Ability to travel domestical and international.
  • Proficient in MS Office apps such as Excel, Word, and Power Point.


Even better, if you have ...

Preferred
  • Experience in design and release of latching mechanisms, closure systems, or related mechanism applications.
  • Software literacy and mechatronics experience.
  • Strong understanding of statistical analysis.
  • 8D and 5Why corrective action and problem-solving skills.
  • Experience with DFMEA's, PFMEA's, and SCCAF's
  • Knowledgeable in the Phased PPAP process
  • Detailed understanding of materials, manufacturing technologies, and GD&T
  • Ability to work in a fluid environment when overall vehicle targets, size, appearance, and manufacturing location are not always known.
  • Ability to solve complex system issues and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
  • Effective oral and written communication skills.
  • Ability to adapt your role to a variety of applications and issues as required.


You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder...or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a salary grade 6-8 and ranges from $74,300 - $166,200.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR

Visa sponsorship is NOT available for this position.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-JT1

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company manufactures or distributes automobiles in addition to offering financial services. The company sells to dealerships for retail sales, and for sale to fleet customers, including commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments. Ford’s vehicle portfolio includes automobiles, buses, tractors, and trucks. Retail financing includes retail installment sale contracts for new and used vehicles, and direct financing leases for new vehicles to retail customers, government entities, daily rental car companies, and fleet customers. Finance receivables in the non-consumer portfolio include products offered to automotive dealers. Ford’s environmental initiatives include compressed natural gas, flexible fuel vehicles, electric drive vehicles, Hydrogen, PC power management, and so on. Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 and is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan.

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Learn more about Ford Motor Company
Size
183,000 employees
Market Cap
$44.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$1.2 billion
Founded
1903
5 Year Trend
-2.1%
Revenue
$127.1 billion
NASDAQ

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