Rear Closures Application Engineer

Ford Motor Company • Dearborn, MI

3h • $99,100 - $166,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Rear Closures Application Engineer works with internal and external customers to develop competitive, cost- and weight-efficient designs that meet manufacturing and functional performance requirements. The role coordinates with suppliers to procure components and assemblies for verification and validation testing, executes the design validation plan, and leads on-site build support and issue resolution for prototypes, production pre-builds, and production components and systems. The engineer also delivers current-model quality and cost improvements alongside work on future-model programs.

The position manages product-release CAD and BOM structures, including assembly positioning and mass-attribute analysis; facilitates supplier-data integration; and develops CAD studies to support design improvements. It uses Ford's PLM processes for product check-in/check-out, version control, data release, and change management. The engineer performs CAD-based feasibility analyses, engineers required CAD, and leads analytical and physical analysis to meet requirements. As programs mature, the work shifts toward product testing, PSW delivery, and launch support at Ford assembly plants.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of professional experience in the automotive or aerospace industry.
• At least 5 years of experience with rear-closure systems for forward-model vehicles, with direct ownership of part engineering, system engineering, and part release to meet cost, weight, quality, functional performance, studio appearance, craftsmanship, test validation, manufacturing feasibility, and launch-timing requirements.
• Experience with sheet-metal body structures, closures, stamping, static and/or dynamic sealing, power/gas struts, power drive units/motors, and hinges.
• Hands-on experience with in-house engineering, design, and release, as well as management of full-service supplier commodities to on-time delivery, cost, and quality targets.
• Experience as a Design and Release/Product Development Engineer or Closures Commodity Subject Matter Expert.
• Ability to work overtime and travel to support launches.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility verification is required at hire.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with hinged closures.
• Experience interfacing with a design studio to resolve design issues related to exterior rear-closure systems.
• Experience leading peers through design reviews to resolve part-to-part interface issues and deliver a successful system.
• Experience solving current-model quality issues and implementing corrective actions.
• Ability to use and demonstrate systems-engineering disciplines and Design for Manufacturing principles to proactively solve issues.
• Knowledge of craftsmanship expectations, benchmarking, and futuring.
• Knowledge of automotive exterior components, materials, and manufacturing technologies such as stamping, injection molding, extrusion, forging, casting, welding, and riveting.
• Experience with bolted-joint structures.
• Experience with structural mechanics.
• Experience with hinge-mechanism dynamics.
• Experience with systems engineering.
• Working knowledge of FEA, DFMEA, Control Plan development, and Dimensional Variation Analysis.
• Ability to work in CATIA/3DX, Teamcenter Engineering, and Digital Buck.
• Ability to create simple parts, sections, and studies in CATIA/3DX.
• Capability with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Work with internal and external customers to develop cost- and weight-efficient designs that meet manufacturing and functional performance requirements.
• Work with internal and external suppliers to procure components and assemblies for verification and validation testing, and execute the design validation plan.
• Lead on-site build support and issue resolution for prototype, production pre-build, and production phases.
• Deliver current-model quality and cost improvements in addition to supporting future-model programs.
• Manage product-release CAD and BOM structures, including assembly positioning and mass-attribute analysis.
• Facilitate supplier-data integration and develop CAD studies to support and drive design improvements.
• Use product check-in/check-out, version control, data release, and change-management processes within Ford's PLM ecosystem.
• Perform CAD feasibility analyses, including draft-angle analysis, undercut detection, minimum bend-radius validation for sheet metal, and clearance checks for manufacturing and machining requirements.
• Engineer required CAD and lead analytical and physical analysis to deliver systems that meet prescribed requirements.
• As programs mature, support product testing, deliver PSW, and launch products within Ford assembly plants.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• 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.
• Vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including time between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.

What This Job Offers

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