Exterior Lighting Engineer

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

21h • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford is seeking an experienced automotive exterior lighting Design & Release engineer to lead exterior lighting systems from early concept through production launch. The engineer will develop preliminary CAD concepts, assess packaging and design feasibility, drive supplier design convergence, identify risks, and make engineering decisions across mechanical, optical, electrical, software, manufacturing, validation, and quality interfaces. The role balances performance, craftsmanship, cost, weight, timing, and regulatory compliance.

The position leads cross-functional execution with lighting suppliers and internal teams, including optics, studio, software, electrical, purchasing, manufacturing, supplier technical assistance, and quality. Responsibilities span requirements development, design and release, validation readiness, tooling readiness, production release, and launch issue resolution. The role may require travel, including international travel.

This is a hybrid position. Candidates within commuting distance of a Ford hub may be required to work onsite four or more days per week. The salary grade is 7–8, with a stated range of $86,600–$166,200; final grade and salary depend on skills, experience, job scope, responsibility, and market value. Visa sponsorship is unavailable, and candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of professional automotive exterior lighting engineering experience, including direct responsibility for production-intent lamp systems, components, or features.
• Demonstrated CAD design capability for preliminary design work, package studies, section development, or similar activities.
• Experience leading exterior lighting development across key program milestones.
• Experience with DFMEA, DVP&R, design reviews, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and engineering change management.
• Ability to lead suppliers and cross-functional teams with clear communication, technical ownership, and timing discipline.
• Ability to evaluate design tradeoffs and resolve technical issues using data-driven engineering judgment.
• Ability to contribute in an experienced-hire Design & Release role with limited ramp-up time.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility verification is required at hire.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Optical, or Software Engineering.
• Master’s degree or other advanced degree.
• Direct experience engineering and releasing exterior lighting components such as headlamps, rear lamps, CHMSL, light bars, reflectors, bezels, lenses, housings, electronics modules, or lamp-level wire harnesses.
• Familiarity with Design for Six Sigma.
• Experience with DFMEA, GD&T, and ISO standards.
• Experience with CATIA, Teamcenter/TCE, 3DX, WERS, FEDEBOM, or similar automotive CAD, release, and BOM management systems.
• Knowledge of plastic materials, plastic injection molding, optics, basic electrical or electronic circuitry, software, lamp manufacturing processes, tooling, fixture design, and product validation.
• Knowledge of exterior lighting performance attributes, including photometry, lit appearance, condensation, thermal management, EMC, electronics/software interfaces, aiming, serviceability, craftsmanship, and perceived quality.
• Knowledge of global lighting regulations.
• Experience supporting prototype builds, plant launch, PPAP, safe launch, warranty or quality investigations, supplier corrective actions, or production change management.
• Experience or an industry network in automotive lighting suppliers, OEM lighting organizations, lighting-specific professional communities, or university programs that can support targeted sourcing and talent pipeline development.

Responsibilities

• Generate and execute technical solutions for exterior lighting components supporting new vehicle programs.
• Perform complex engineering evaluation analysis.
• Translate vehicle, regulatory, appearance, optical, electrical, software, manufacturing, and quality requirements into robust exterior lighting component designs.
• Develop preliminary CAD design proposals, package studies, section reviews, design-in-context assessments, and conceptual CAD models for early design development.
• Work cross-functionally to implement cost savings and product improvements and support prototype and production build activities.
• Lead supplier technical execution, including design and CAD/data reviews, tooling readiness, issue resolution, cost and weight tradeoffs, and launch support.
• Balance cost, weight, complexity, and timing attributes.
• Release exterior lighting systems, subsystems, components, and features for production.
• Drive validation readiness and evidence of compliance through DFMEA, DVP&R, inspection and testing reviews, functional assessments, and corrective action closure.
• Develop core requirements and technologies.
• Communicate information to and from internal and external organizations.
• Lead meetings with suppliers, designers, engineers, manufacturing, supplier quality, and other participants.
• Travel as required, including internationally.

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: Senior