Product Design Engineer, Automotive Door Latches and Actuators
About The Position
The Product Design Engineer will lead concept development, detailed design, and validation of automotive door latch and actuator systems for new product development programs. This role requires strong engineering judgment in ambiguous project situations, with the ability to define requirements, evaluate tradeoffs, and generate innovative design solutions that improve safety, robustness, manufacturability, and customer experience. The engineer will work across cross-functional teams to develop safety-critical mechatronic mechanisms that meet vehicle performance, packaging, durability, and regulatory objectives.
Requirements
- Experience in mechanical or electromechanical product design, preferably within automotive closures, latches, actuators, or related systems.
- Strong understanding of mechanism design, kinematics, tolerance stack-up, and force/displacement behavior.
- Proficient understanding of CAE capabilities and interpreting analysis resulting data
- Advanced CAD skills required, Proficient in parametric modelling design tools (NX preferred)
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in ambiguous project environments and make sound engineering decisions with incomplete information.
- Proven capability to generate creative design concepts and convert them into manufacturable, testable solutions.
- Experience with prototype development, validation testing, and design correlation.
- Familiarity with CAE tools or simulation methods used for mechanism, structural, or environmental analysis.
- Strong collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple technical priorities and drive issues to closure in a cross-functional environment.
- Advanced computer skills (Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Nice To Haves
- Working knowledge of automotive safety and closure-system requirements is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Lead the design and development of automotive door latch and actuator mechanisms, including latch, lock, release, linkage, cable, and actuation architectures.
- Translate incomplete or evolving customer and program requirements into clear technical specifications and design targets.
- Design for safety-critical high performance operation and world-class sound quality
- Develop innovative concepts that improve packaging, part count, reliability, cost, serviceability, and user experience.
- Perform kinematic, tolerance, force, and motion calculation / analyses to support robust mechanism design.
- Support prototype development, lab testing, vehicle integration, and launch activities.
- Plan and execute validation activities such as durability, environmental robustness, water intrusion, friction, and operating-effort testing.
- Correlate physical test results with simulation and refine designs based on findings.
- Collaborate with systems, manufacturing, quality, safety, and supplier teams to resolve technical issues and mature the product design.
- Document design decisions, tradeoffs, risks, and corrective actions for design reviews and program approvals.
- Contribute technical ideas that simplify mechanisms, improve robustness, and support scalable product development.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
