Research Engineer - Welding and Non-Destructive Evaluation

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

20d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves? In this position... The Materials, Process, Structures & Safety organization within Ford Research and Advanced Engineering is seeking an employee to work in the Advanced Joining Research Department. The team delivers novel mechanical, thermal, and chemical joining solutions to reduce cost, improve quality, and enable Ford vehicle architectures and powertrains. The department comprises a multidisciplinary team of mechanical and materials engineers, adhesive and welding specialists, physicists, computer scientists, and laboratory technicians. When new joining processes are developed, robust implementation in manufacturing requires the simultaneous introduction of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques. These NDE technologies are used to avoid otherwise costly destructive assessments that result in substantial scrap and increased labor. This position will support development of both welding solutions to enable Ford leadership in body structures and electrified powertrains, as well as the lock-step delivery of novel, application-centric NDE solutions.

Requirements

• B.S. in Materials Science / Mechanical Engineering / Welding Engineering or B.S. in a related discipline with 3+ years welding research / welding engineering / non-destructive testing experience
• Experience in welding of copper, aluminum, or high strength steels
• Experience in non-destructive evaluation techniques, including X-ray or ultrasonic inspection
• Demonstrated capability in data analysis and documentation of results
• Self-starter with ability to handle complex assignments
• Exemplary written and oral communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and capability to excel on cross-functional teams
• Passion for innovation

Nice To Haves

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related physical science field of study
• 5+ years of experience with non-destructive evaluation methods
• 5+ years of experience with joining of metals
• Demonstrated capability in research or advanced development, including gap analyses and literature reviews, experimental scoping and design, joining and NDE trials, analysis and documentation of results
• Experience with automotive body construction methods or electrified powertrain manufacturing
• Experience in mechanical testing and metallurgical sample preparation and analysis
• Proficiency with statistical analysis packages
• Plant and/or laboratory experience

Responsibilities

• Develop novel welding, process monitoring, and non-destructive weld quality assessment techniques for eMotor and battery applications
• Design experiments, conduct welding and inspection trials, characterize mechanical and metallurgical properties of joints, and perform statistical analyses to optimize welding processes and non-destructive evaluation methods
• Pursue a balanced portfolio of long-term research and shorter-term development
• Conduct gap analyses and evaluate business case for new processes
• Collaborate with stakeholders in Product Development and Manufacturing to develop and implement advanced joining and NDE processes
• Benchmark competitor joint execution and quality
• Develop test methods; support engineering specification and design guideline development
• Identify and implement novel process improvements and protect intellectual property
• Assess process robustness to key manufacturing variables and support plant trials of new technologies
• Document findings via oral presentations and written technical reports

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: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees