Product Engineer - Body Closures / Handles, Locks & MechanismsOverview / Summary We are seeking a Product Engineer with experience in automotive mechanisms, body closures, or related mechanical systems. This role is responsible for the design, development, validation, release, and implementation of handles, locks, and mechanisms for vehicle closures, including doors, hoods, frunks, tailgates, liftgates, and decklids.
The engineer will work with cross-functional teams and suppliers to develop robust, manufacturable products that meet requirements for quality, safety, performance, cost, mass, and timing. The role also supports engineering changes, validation, production launch, and ongoing product improvements.
This is a fully onsite position in Dearborn, Michigan, with occasional travel to supplier manufacturing and testing sites and manufacturing plants.
Key Responsibilities - Lead system design and design development for handles, locks, and mechanisms.
- Design, develop, validate, release, and implement components for vehicle closure systems.
- Lead and manage suppliers to achieve cost, weight, quality, performance, and timing targets.
- Develop plans and manage deliverables to support product development milestones.
- Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, suppliers, and plant teams.
- Evaluate and validate system interfaces at the vehicle level.
- Create and present technical presentations for peer and management reviews.
- Perform or review technical analyses, including dimensional stack-ups, GD&T layouts, CAE analyses, dynamic calculations, and simulations.
- Participate in technical design reviews.
- Create, update, and maintain product releases, BOM structures, engineering changes, and effectivity.
- Review and sign off CAD models and drawings.
- Document and present evidence of compliance with applicable design rules and requirements.
- Develop engineering documents including DFMEAs, SCCAFs, Boundary Diagrams, P-Diagrams, and DVP&Rs.
- Lead design reviews using failure mode avoidance principles.
- Develop Engineering Statements of Work and engineering concepts and participate in sourcing activities.
- Identify required validation, durability, and functional testing.
- Perform root cause analysis and implement permanent corrective actions.
- Apply Six Sigma principles and data-driven problem-solving methods.
- Define and verify engineering prototype requirements at the part level.
- Support parts implementation and sign-off at assembly plants and assist with quality issues throughout development milestones.
- Review product development revisions and assess impacts to affected components.
- Provide technical assistance through supplier engagement activities.
- Lead product launch activities involving suppliers and manufacturing plants.
- Support product development from concept and validation through launch and continuous improvement.
- Travel to supplier manufacturing and testing sites when required.
Required Qualifications - Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
- 2+ years of engineering experience in the design, development, or launch of automotive mechanisms. Experience may include internships and coursework.
- Experience with automotive latching systems, such as side-door latches, tailgate/liftgate latches, or related latching systems; automotive product engineering or design release engineering; body closure systems; seat mechanisms or seat structures; or mechanism product design in related industries.
- CAD capability using tools such as CATIA, 3DX, or Teamcenter.
- Familiarity with CAE tools and software.
- Experience managing product release CAD and BOM structures, including assembly positioning and mass attribute analysis.
- Experience developing CAD studies to support and drive design improvements.
- Ability to manage multiple issues effectively and efficiently.
- Demonstrated initiative and ability to prioritize workload.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint.
- Ability to work fully onsite five days per week.
Preferred Qualifications - Experience designing and releasing latching mechanisms, closure systems, seat mechanisms, or seat structures.
- Software literacy and mechatronics experience.
- Strong understanding of statistical analysis.
- Experience with 8D and 5 Why corrective action and problem-solving methods.
- Experience with DFMEA, PFMEA, and SCCAF.
- Knowledge of phased PPAP processes.
- Detailed understanding of materials, manufacturing technologies, and GD&T.
- Ability to work effectively in a fluid environment where vehicle targets, size, appearance, and manufacturing location may not always be fully defined.
- Ability to solve complex system issues involving limited standardization and multiple variables.
- Effective oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to adapt to a variety of applications and engineering issues.
Technical Skills - CATIA / 3D CAD
- Teamcenter
- CAE
- AutoCAD
- WERS
- VisMockup
- GD&T and tolerance stack-ups
- Product design and development
- Design release engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Systems engineering and system design
- Change management and change control
- Technical analysis
- Root cause analysis
- Six Sigma methodology
- PPAP
- DFMEA / PFMEA
- Quality and validation practices
- Microsoft Office Suite
