Prototype Engineering Design Manager

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters. Join us in shaping the future of Ford Motor Company, as part of a global organization with exceptional colleagues in world-class facilities. As part of Ford Design, you’ll be at the cutting edge of Ford’s most strategically critical work, designing people and society’s needs into the heart of our next generation of products, services, and experiences. As a Prototype Engineering Design Manager you will lead a team of product engineering designers tp bring concepts to life in the form of functional high-fidelity prototypes. Leveraging your expertise in automotive design and/or engineering you will have the opportunity to see the future of Ford firsthand and play a pivotal role in the early-stage development of the next generation of Ford vehicle content and experiences. This role requires a deep understanding of automotive systems and subsystems, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage complex projects from conception to completion.

Requirements

• Bachelors degree in engineering, design, or equivalent
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment
• 5+ years of experience working in automotive engineering and/or design with a strong understanding of vehicle level systems and subsystems
• 5+ years of experience leading complex projects and project teams – leveraging program management tools as appropriate
• 5+ years of experience leveraging prototype manufacturing techniques to build high fidelity prototypes such as additive manufacturing (3D Printing), milling, fiberglass layups, clay modeling, etc.
• 5+ years of experience with design / PLM software such as Catia, 3DX, Teamcenter, Alias etc.
• 5+ years of experience working collaboratively with design, engineering, product marketing and program management
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think creatively.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Nice To Haves

• Masters degree in design, engineering or equivalent
• 5+ years of experience in prototype software design and development, with a focus on prototyping and rapid iteration.
• Fluent in various CAD software such as Catia, Rhino, Alias, etc.
• Experience with machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other advanced technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team to engineer / design prototypes which include: Show / Concept / Pre-Production vehicles
• Interior and exterior systems (Ex: Lighting, Closures, Instruments Panels, Consoles, Seats)
• Interior and exterior components (Ex: Buttons, nobs and switches)
• Interior and exterior clay model armatures
• Support the development of prototype build plans, lead the team through delivering data on time and with quality
• Work collaboratively with design, engineering, marketing and program teams to align on scope of work, build timing and budget - managing those throughout the prototype build cycle
• Leverage background in automotive systems and subsystems to identify and document design and engineering feasibility concerns and support the identification of robust solutions.
• Identify areas of opportunity and process efficiencies and action those as appropriate
• Stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies to continuously improve prototypes.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• 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
• A generous schedule of 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: Manager