Design and Release Engineer-Interior Seats

ALTEN Technology USA•Auburn Hills, MI

About The Position

As a Design Release Engineer for Interior Seats within the Interior Compartment division, you will lead the design release process of seat assemblies and associated mechanisms/components from concept through production. You will partner across design, simulation, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams to deliver seat systems that meet comfort, safety, ergonomics, cost, and launch objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or related discipline.
Minimum 5 years of relevant automotive interior component development or release engineering experience (seats preferred).
Strong familiarity with mechanical CAD (e.g., NX, CATIA), 2D drawings, GD&T, and manufacturing processes (stamping, welding, injection molding, assembly).
Experience with DFMEA, DVP&R, BOM/EBOM, ECO change management, and PLM/release systems (e.g., Teamcenter).
Excellent problem-solving skills and effective collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering or related field.
Experience specifically with seat system design, comfort/ergonomics, motors/actuators, or interior trim integration.
Knowledge of manufacturing launch, seat durability testing, ergonomic assessment, and supplier management.
Prior experience in automotive interior component release process from concept to production is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Lead component specification generation for seat assemblies (frames, mechanisms, cushions, motors, trim) based on vehicle-level requirements.
Drive the design release workflow: develop DFMEA, DVP&R (Design Verification Plan & Report), work product documentation, change orders, and BOM/EBOM updates.
Perform design reviews (structural, thermal, ergonomic, durability) and collaborate with CAE/FEA groups to validate seat systems.
Interface with Tier-1 seat suppliers and internal manufacturing, ensuring feasibility of design, manufacturability, cost targets, and timing.
Support proto builds, pilot runs, and production launches at interior component plants; resolve launch-related issues.
Manage engineering change orders (ECOs), maintain traceability of design changes, and update PLM/release systems.
Investigate warranty and field quality concerns for seat systems; lead root-cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
Maintain and manage technical documentation, service bulletins (if applicable), audit packages, and compliance records for interior seats.
Work closely with cross-functional teams (comfort/ergonomics, NVH, safety, manufacturing, quality) to ensure integrated seat system performance.
Monitor schedule, cost, risk for seat module release and report status to program leadership.