Reliability and Robustness Technical Specialist Steering and Suspension

Ford Motor Company • Dearborn, MI

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

This Technical Expert position focuses on delivering best-in-world reliability for steering and suspension systems, with particular emphasis on high-time-in-service performance. The role identifies key stress factors behind long-term failures and drives them into component and system specifications and test methods. The specialist leads reliability-growth efforts, supports system signoff and technical reviews, solves launch and field issues, and coaches Design and Release engineers globally. The position is hybrid, with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week, and requires occasional travel to assembly plants and global chassis engineering centers.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering required.
• 10 or more years of professional experience in an automotive steering and suspension environment.
• Strong leadership skills, with quality as the top priority; innovation, excellent communication, strong organizational skills, motivation, and self-direction.
• Ability to build productive relationships, achieve cooperation, and influence priorities of technical experts and other key partners.
• Advanced problem-solving skills.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility will be verified at hire.

Nice To Haves

• Master of Science in Engineering preferred.
• Extensive component engineering design and release experience.
• Thorough understanding of reliability science and test methods.
• Extensive experience creating and managing DFMEA, PFMEA, SCCAF, control plans, and drawings.
• Experience with CAE tools and methods.
• Technical depth in systems, system architecture, and mechanical design.
• Familiarity with Six Sigma tools.
• Passion for quality and customers, with a strong drive for results.

Responsibilities

• Drive Suspension and Steering to best-in-world quality, with a key focus on high-time-in-service reliability.
• Serve as the pre-eminent expert on high-time-in-service failures in steering and suspension systems and components.
• Drive implementation of reliability-growth methodology for steering and suspension teams.
• Determine key stress factors that govern high-time-in-service failures.
• Develop new methods to gather information on post-warranty failures, including through dealer and fleet relationships, supplier part sales, and social media.
• Drive key stress factors into specifications and test methods to eliminate high-time-in-service failures, collaborating with specification owners.
• Champion change-point analysis for reused or modified end items and ensure appropriate requirements and checks are planned for programs.
• Work with customer correlation and system technical specialists to align system durability verification methods for each application, including formal engagement of connected vehicle data, vehicle platform engineering, and Ford business divisions such as Ford Pro.
• Participate integrally in system, subsystem, and component signoff, with specific signoff responsibility before Chief Signoff.
• Lead technical design reviews with the application supervisor for systems, subsystems, and components.
• Provide problem-solving support for launch, recall, quality, and field issues.
• Coach, mentor, and train Suspension D&R engineers across global regions.
• Leverage CAE modeling capability to optimize quality, maximize efficiency, and minimize cost.
• Travel occasionally to assembly plants and global chassis engineering centers to support new process development, issue resolution, and Design and Release engineer training.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized backup childcare.
• 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.
• 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: Senior