Reliability and Robustness Technical Specialist Steering and Suspension

Ford • Dearborn, MI

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

This Technical Expert position focuses on delivering best-in-world reliability for steering and suspension systems, particularly high-time-in-service (HTIS) performance. The specialist identifies the stress factors that drive HTIS failures and ensures those factors are incorporated into component and system specifications and test methods. The role drives reliability growth methods, investigates post-warranty failures, and works with specification owners and cross-functional engineering teams to eliminate reliability issues.

The position champions change-point analysis for reused or modified end items, aligns system durability verification methods across applications, and integrates connected-vehicle data and business partners into verification. The specialist contributes to system, subsystem, and component signoff before Chief Signoff; leads technical design reviews and problem-solving for launch, recall, quality, and field issues; and coaches Suspension D&R engineers globally. The role also uses CAE modeling to improve quality and efficiency while minimizing cost.

The position is hybrid and requires onsite work four or more days per week. Occasional travel to assembly plants and global chassis engineering centers is required. Ford offers medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage; family and parental support programs; family-building benefits; vehicle discounts; tuition assistance; employee resource groups; paid community-service time; paid holidays; and paid time off with an option to purchase additional vacation time.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering.
• 10 or more years of professional experience in an automotive steering and suspension environment.
• Quality-focused leadership, with quality as the number-one priority.
• Innovative approach, excellent communication, strong organizational skills, and a highly motivated, self-starting approach.
• Ability to build productive relationships, achieve cooperation, and influence priorities of technical experts and other key partners.
• Technical depth in systems, system architecture, and mechanical design.
• Advanced problem-solving skills.
• Strong leadership skills, passion for quality and customers, and drive for results.
• Familiarity with 6-sigma tools.

Nice To Haves

• Master of Science in Engineering.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Drive Suspension and Steering toward best-in-world quality, with emphasis on high-time-in-service reliability.
• Serve as an expert on how steering and suspension systems and components fail at high time in service.
• Implement reliability growth methodology for steering and suspension teams.
• Determine key stress factors governing high-time-in-service failures.
• Develop methods to gather information on post-warranty failures, including through dealer and fleet relationships, supplier part sales, and social media.
• Incorporate key stress factors into specifications and test methods to eliminate high-time-in-service failures, collaborating with technical expert and subject-matter expert specification owners.
• Champion change-point analysis for reused or modified end items and ensure appropriate requirements and checks are planned within programs.
• Align system durability verification methods for each application with customer correlation and system technical specialists, including formal engagement of connected-vehicle data, vehicle platform engineering, and Ford business divisions such as Ford Pro.
• Provide system, subsystem, and component signoff before Chief Signoff.
• Lead technical design reviews with the application supervisor for systems, subsystems, and components.
• Lead problem solving for launch, recall, quality, and field issues.
• Coach, mentor, and train Suspension D&R engineers across global regions.
• Use 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.
• Adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and other family-building benefits.
• 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