Exterior Structural Casting Technical Specialist

Ford • Dearborn, MI

11d • $115,500 - $218,100 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford is seeking an Exterior Structural Casting Technical Specialist within Exterior Structural Castings, Vehicle Hardware Engineering. The role is responsible for technical content, strategy, and processes for casting, ensuring robust design and delivery of components and vehicle systems.

The specialist will lead technical aspects of Ford’s global castings product strategy, from concept development and business case approval through supplier and internal manufacturing partnerships, product development, verification and validation, launch sign-off, ongoing support, and field quality assurance. The position also develops casting team members, oversees foundation documents and prevention of recurrence, and guides the development of standardized tools, methods, and execution.

This leadership-level 6 position is hybrid, with a requirement to work onsite four or more days per week. The stated salary range is $115,500–$218,100, with final salary grade and base salary determined by skills, experience, job scope, responsibility, and market value. Visa sponsorship is not available; candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, metallurgical engineering, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in automotive engineering and/or manufacturing, or a similar industry, including direct team leadership responsibility for delivery of structural castings.
• At least 5 years of engineering experience with high-pressure die casting design and manufacturing processes, including secondary operations such as trimming, straightening, and quality checks.
• At least 5 years of engineering experience with alloys, especially alloys used for structural castings and advanced lightweighting materials, and associated joining technologies.
• At least 5 years of engineering experience using CAE to guide efficient, robust design and system execution.
• At least 5 years of engineering experience creating and applying DFMEAs, PFMEAs, Control Plans, Standards, Requirements, and Specifications.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• 8D and 5Why corrective action and problem-solving skills.
• DMAIC project methodology experience.
• Familiarity with MAGMA software.
• Microsoft Office experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead casting design, development, and implementation for Structural Systems Engineering, including BIW, frames/subframes, and battery structures.
• Lead and develop a team of casting engineers, expanding the use of high- and low-pressure die casting, thixo-casting/thixo-molding, and rheocasting across Ford and Lincoln vehicle lines.
• Manage the engineering team responsible for forming simulations of cast designs, using simulation results to assess flow, fill, pressure, temperature distribution, and solidification and to guide design, tooling, and process development.
• Develop and manage engineering specifications, design rules, engineering requirements, virtual test methods, first-pick lists, and modular designs for high-pressure die castings used in vehicle structures.
• Identify, develop, and implement technologies to improve the efficiency of structural castings for vehicle structures.
• Work cross-functionally with product development, manufacturing, packaging, attributes teams, and suppliers to develop large structural castings for future BIW, frame/subframe, and battery structure applications.
• Guide the development of casting solutions that are efficient to manufacture, combine the features and functions of multiple stamped parts, and reduce assembly complexity.
• Support actions addressing Noise, Vibration, and Harshness, Durability, and Safety performance objectives, working with attribute analysis teams to develop efficient solutions.
• Support creation of design solutions and manufacturing processes that meet part quality and performance requirements.
• Work with external suppliers and Ford manufacturing teams to meet casting component and final assembly dimensional requirements.
• Sign off on designs before milestone completion to support component and vehicle analysis and before production tool kick-off.
• Sign off on final parts and assemblies before builds, certification testing, and production start-up.
• Support troubleshooting prototype and production processes with suppliers to address part quality issues.
• Develop casting team members professionally, oversee foundation document creation and prevention-of-recurrence practices, and guide standardized casting tools, methods, and execution.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Paid parental leave, new-parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized backup 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.
• Established and active employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

What This Job Offers

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