Product Development Engineer - Heat Exchanger Core Engineer

Ford • Dearborn, MI

9d • $74,300 - $166,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford is hiring a Product Development Engineer to lead heat exchanger (HEX) components, including condensers, radiators, charge-air coolers (CAC), water-cooled condensers (WCC), and battery chillers. The role requires expertise in design, aluminum alloys and materials, manufacturing processes such as brazing, and laboratory analysis techniques. The engineer supports product development for vehicle systems and works with application teams, Ford organizations and laboratories, and external suppliers to resolve technical issues and optimize designs.

The role supports core engineering documentation, sourcing decisions, validation planning, engineering sign-offs, manufacturing site reviews, supplier and new-technology development, and cost and quality improvements. It also contributes technical guidance and documentation to establish thermal-systems design rules, requirements, and lessons learned. The position is hybrid and requires onsite work four or more days per week.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of experience in heat exchanger designs and development.
• Strong knowledge of DFMEA and implementation per AIAG/VDA.
• Laboratory experience in metallurgy related to heat exchangers.
• Knowledge of corrosion laboratory testing and material designs.
• Knowledge of materials and heat exchanger manufacturing processes, including fluxing, brazing, and end-of-line checks.
• Understanding of investigation tools including SEM, FTIR, surface analysis tools, and TGA.
• Ability to lead and align groups of people who do not directly report to the position.
• Ability to form an opinion, communicate it effectively at all levels, and drive the company in a winning direction.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

• Master of Engineering in electrical, mechanical, physics, systems, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Support creation and maintenance of Core Engineering Documents, including DFMEA/SCCAF documents, requirements, and test procedures.
• Support application teams with sourcing decisions, validation planning, engineering sign-offs, and manufacturing site reviews.
• Sign off on DV/PV/SREA/DPA for heat exchanger components.
• Solve technical problems involving launch, recall, quality, and field issues.
• Understand manufacturing processes for heat exchangers, including tube and fin forming, stampings, injection molding, brazing, and end-of-line leak checks.
• Conduct root cause analysis on corrosion issues and work with suppliers on countermeasures and preventative actions.
• Lead technical discussions to deliver optimized refrigerant or powertrain designs for vehicle systems.
• Work with Ford organizations, laboratories, and outside suppliers to direct solutions to issues.
• Support global application teams with refrigerant- and coolant-based heat exchanger issues.
• Optimize designs for cost reduction while maintaining quality and performance.
• Interact with Refrigerant, Power Train, NVH, Controls, and CAE teams, and collaborate with subsystem technical specialists and external suppliers.
• Support new technology and supplier development.
• Support strategy papers, including Modularity and Commodity Business Plan.
• Provide technical support for cost-reduction ideas and quality improvements.
• Document thermal-systems success factors and lessons learned through design rules, requirements, and technical design guides, and teach related learning sessions.
• Manage product release CAD and BOM structures, including assembly positioning and mass attribute analysis; facilitate supplier data integration and develop CAD studies to support design improvements.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized backup child care, and more.
• 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: Mid Level