Associate Chassis Engineer

Ford Motor Company • Long Beach, CA

6d • $100,400 - $168,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

As an Associate Chassis Engineer, you will drive the design, development, and execution of novel chassis components and subsystems, including brakes, steering, wheels, tires, and suspension platforms. You will apply first-principles engineering and advanced manufacturing techniques to optimize driving dynamics, efficiency, structural mass, and cost. Working across concept development, physical and virtual validation, and full-vehicle testing, you will help deliver vehicle attributes for Ford’s next-generation vehicle portfolio.

The position is hybrid and requires onsite work four or more days per week. The position is classified as GSR-6, with a salary range of $100,400–$168,000. Final salary grade and base salary depend on the candidate’s skills and experience, job scope, responsibility, and competitive market value. Visa sponsorship is available. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States, with employment eligibility verified at hire.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• At least 1 year of cumulative automotive engineering or related mobility-sector experience.
• Solid foundation in statics, dynamics, materials, and thermal engineering, and practical application of these principles to complex vehicle systems and manufacturing processes.
• Strong proficiency in 3D CAD modeling.
• Excellent written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Track record of effective cross-functional partnership.

Nice To Haves

• Exposure to electric vehicle platforms.
• Knowledge of chassis architectures, kinematics, elastokinematics, and vehicle dynamics fundamentals.
• Understanding of manufacturing and assembly processes, including castings, forgings, stampings, and extrusions.
• Knowledge of technical drawing practices and GD&T per ASME standards.
• Knowledge of agile project tracking and technical documentation tools such as Atlassian JIRA and Confluence.
• Experience with 3DEXPERIENCE CAD.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop chassis concepts for brakes, steering, suspension, wheels, and tires, balancing driving dynamics, vehicle mass, cost, efficiency, manufacturability, and serviceability.
• Challenge legacy design requirements and define data-driven, first-principles specifications for system sizing, functional performance, and safety attributes.
• Align system performance targets with regulatory standards, customer requirements, and vehicle dynamics.
• Evaluate the manufacturing, assembly, and service feasibility of proposed designs in collaboration with manufacturing, service, and launch teams.
• Use engineering analysis tools to simulate, stress-test, and iterate design proposals before physical builds.
• Lead design, build, and validation testing at component, subsystem, and full-vehicle levels.
• Conduct subjective and objective evaluations of braking, steering, ride, and handling across production vehicles, prototype test mules, and driver-in-the-loop simulators.
• Analyze test data to troubleshoot root causes, iterate designs, and refine vehicle performance attributes.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized back-up child care.
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments.
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• Paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level