Dynamics Quality Performance

ALTEN Technology USA•Auburn Hills, MI

About The Position

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a Dynamics Quality Performance professional to develop and validate vehicle dynamics functionality related to chassis quality and warranty, or ride, steering, handling, and tire performance. The role aims to reduce vehicle and suspension sensitivity to road-induced forces, assembly variation, vehicle architecture, and component wear. It supports quality testing through all program development phases, including target setting, design definition, prototype testing, and pre-production pilot testing. The position defines and validates targets and specifications for critical components to reduce issues such as brake judder, tire and wheel imbalance, vehicle lead, drift or pull, steering wander, torque steer, and vehicle shake. Work combines simulation, objective testing, and subjective evaluation, and includes in-vehicle development of components to meet vehicle performance objectives. The work takes place predominantly at Chelsea Proving Grounds in Michigan, with travel to other test locations as weather and test-surface conditions require. Travel is approximately 20%, mostly domestic in North America but potentially international; winter trips may last two to three weeks. The role requires specialized driving skills for subjective ride, steering, routine handling, and limit-handling evaluations. The position leads CAE and virtual analysis for steering and suspension hard-point development, component stiffness and damping specifications, and ride and handling optimization across vehicle-architecture variants. It also covers suspension and steering subsystem kinematics and compliance analysis; handling and ride simulation; development, validation, and ownership of vehicle and subsystem simulation models; support for driving simulator studies; analytical support for physical-mule tuning; and development of CAE and simulation processes as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent from an ABET-accredited university.
Experience in chassis design/development and/or vehicle dynamics engineering.
Solid understanding of system and component design/development processes.
Experience with processes and simulation techniques for suspension, steering, and brake system kinematics, compliance, and vibration studies; vehicle ride and handling assessments; component structural analysis; and optimization.
Experience with simulation tools including ADAMS/Car, Altair MotionView, OptiStruct, NASTRAN, AMESim, CARSim, i-Sight, MATLAB, Simulink, and VI-Car Realtime.
Advanced proficiency with ADAMS/Car, CARSim, and VI-Car Realtime.
Experience with driving simulator studies, including preparation, validation, and loading of CAE/virtual models.
Ability to develop custom routines using tools such as Visual Basic, ADAMS command files, ADAMS/Car templates, Altair MotionView templates, and MATLAB.
Familiarity with Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) and Design Verification Plan and Report (DVP&R) structure.
Ability to extract component detail from NX, Teamcenter, and CoDeP.
Demonstrated understanding of vehicle dynamics theory and application, suspension and steering system kinematics and compliance, full-vehicle ride and handling, and vehicle ride, steering, and handling evaluation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to coordinate work with other departments and functions.
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, including ability to present work to management and cross-functional teams.
Self-starter with demonstrated problem-solving ability; organized, self-motivated, and able to work as required to support projects.
Proficient with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Valid driver's license and clean driving record; must be able to drive company vehicles.
Ability to travel internationally for meetings and manufacturing-plant support.
Must be legally eligible to work in the USA.
High level of proficiency in English, including speaking, reading, and writing.

Nice To Haves

Master of Science degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
Formal training in Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methods.

Responsibilities

Develop and validate vehicle dynamics functionality related to chassis quality and warranty, or ride, steering, handling, and tire performance.
Minimize vehicle and suspension sensitivity to road-surface forces, assembly-build variation, vehicle architecture, and wear.
Conduct quality testing throughout program development, from target setting and design definition through prototype and pre-production vehicle testing.
Establish appropriate targets and specifications for critical components to reduce brake judder, tire/wheel imbalance, vehicle lead, drift or pull, steering wander, torque steer, and vehicle shake.
Use simulation, objective testing, and subjective evaluation to assess vehicle and component performance.
Develop critical components in vehicles to meet ride, steering, handling, and tire performance objectives.
Perform subjective ride, steering, routine handling, and limit-handling evaluations, including driving vehicles at proving grounds.
Lead CAE and virtual analysis for steering/suspension hard-point development, component stiffness and damping specifications, and ride/handling optimization across vehicle variants.
Analyze and optimize suspension and steering subsystem kinematics and compliance.
Assess steady-state and transient handling and calculate component loads for handling events, including emergency handling/fish-hook, trailer tow SAE J2807, slowly increasing steer, step steer, and off-road trail-rating events.
Simulate and characterize ride events, including primary and secondary ride, impact harshness, vehicle pitch under braking, head-toss, shimmy and wander, and brake judder.
Develop, validate, and own vehicle and subsystem simulation models, including multi-body/ADAMS, parametric/CARSim, VI-Car Realtime, and NASTRAN/flex-body models.
Develop models and provide on-site support for driving simulator studies.
Plan and execute analytical support for physical-mule tuning activities.
Develop new CAE and simulation processes as needed.
Coordinate analysis and development activities with extended and cross-functional teams, and summarize and present work to management.
Travel to test locations and internationally for meetings and manufacturing-plant support as required.