Power Liftgate Systems - Design Release Engineer

ALTEN Technology USA•Auburn Hills, MI

10h

About The Position

The Design Release Engineer (DRE) for Power Liftgate Systems is responsible for the end-to-end engineering, design, development, validation, and production release of automated liftgate and tailgate systems. The role balances mechanical packaging and electromechanical integration, covering components such as electric struts and actuators, latching mechanisms, control modules, pinch sensors, and wire routings. The engineer serves as the technical owner from initial concept sketches through full vehicle launch. ALTEN Technology USA is an engineering company that partners with clients across industries including aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, electric vehicles, and rail. The company describes a workforce of more than 3,000 experts across North America and is part of the global ALTEN Group, which has 57,000+ engineers in 30 countries. ALTEN offers mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
At least 3 years of experience in automotive product development design and release.
Deep understanding of GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis.
Familiarity with automotive manufacturing processes, including plastics injection molding, stamping, and electronics assembly.
Proficiency in change management documentation, including CNs/ECRs, and managing a Bill of Materials (BOM).
Excellent interpersonal, project tracking, and conflict management skills to drive alignment across global engineering sites.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with electromechanical systems, closures, moving mechanisms, or body-electronics integration.

Responsibilities

Lead the cradle-to-grave product engineering process for power liftgate components and subsystems, ensuring they meet vehicle packaging and styling constraints.
Interface with internal or supplier CAD resources using NX or CATIA and manage product release structures within Teamcenter.
Author and execute DFMEA and DVP&R testing at component, system, and full-vehicle levels.
Collaborate with styling, body-in-white, interior trim, electrical architecture, and assembly plants to ensure system integration.
Oversee tier-1 supplier engineering and manufacturing activities, lead design reviews, and ensure hardware is delivered on time and within cost targets.
Use structured problem-solving methods, such as Shainin Red X, Kepner-Tregoe, and DFSS, to investigate and root-cause assembly plant, prototype build, and field warranty failures.