Senior Closures Systems Sealing Engineer

Ford • Long Beach, CA

2d • $138,800 - $283,500 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Closures Systems Sealing Engineer is a key individual contributor responsible for designing, developing, and integrating closure mechanisms and sealing systems for Advanced EV development programs. The role spans the product lifecycle, from early concept development and studio feasibility through production-level engineering and launch. It focuses on moving components such as doors, side glass, hoods, and rear closures, along with latches, hinges, struts, and handles, ensuring they integrate with sheet metal structures and meet functional, safety, and aesthetic requirements.

The engineer leads development of dynamic and static seals and ensures they meet water-leak, wind-noise, dust, closing-effort, and durability targets. The role includes collaborating with Studio Design on seal packaging and appearance, integrating seals into sheet metal and closure environments, using CAE results to optimize designs, owning CAD and BOM deliverables, planning and conducting validation, collaborating across engineering, NVH, manufacturing, and purchasing, and managing supplier execution through PPAP. The engineer also supports prototype and production build events and resolves sealing issues through launch.

Requirements

• B.S. in Mechanical, Materials, or Polymer Engineering, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• At least 3 years of experience owning components through a full vehicle development cycle and launch.
• At least 4 years of experience in automotive closures or body sealing, including dynamic and static sealing.
• At least 4 years of collaborative CAD experience; 3DX or CATIA preferred.
• Demonstrated experience designing, validating, and releasing seals for water-leak, wind-noise, and closing-effort performance.
• Hands-on experience with sealing validation methods.

Nice To Haves

• Strong understanding of seal compression, CLD, gap management, closing-effort trade-offs, and sealing fundamentals.
• Knowledge of EPDM, TPV/TPE, extrusion, molded corners, attachment methods, and related materials and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to use nonlinear seal simulation and correlate it with physical tests through CAE.
• In-depth knowledge and experience with water-leak, wind-noise, closing-effort, and durability testing.
• Strong understanding of GD&T and how tolerances affect seal performance and perceived quality.
• Working knowledge of DFMEA, DVP&R, and PPAP, with experience leading supplier quality efforts.
• Experience in physical prototyping and a hands-on approach during production build events.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and integration of closure sealing systems, including dynamic door and end-closure seals and static glass-run, applique, belt, glass-integration, gasket, water-shield, and plug seals.
• Ensure sealing components meet water-leak, wind-noise, dust, closing-effort, and durability targets for vehicle launch.
• Support early concept development with Studio Design to accommodate seal packaging, seal paths, Class A surfaces, cut lines, glass layouts, and appearance requirements.
• Integrate seals into sheet metal and closure environments, advising on seal interfaces, body and closure shaping, attachment strategies, and material selection.
• Interpret CAE simulation results, including nonlinear seal deflection, compression load deflection, closing effort, contact pressure, and aeroacoustics, to optimize seal sections and resolve integration issues.
• Own CAD and BOM for closure sealing systems, including seal sections, paths, molded corners, datum strategies, GD&T, and tolerance stack-ups.
• Plan and conduct sealing validation, including water-leak/shower testing, wind-noise evaluation, door closing-effort and velocity measurement, and environmental durability testing.
• Correlate physical test results with CAE and design intent.
• Collaborate with engineering, NVH, manufacturing, and purchasing teams to confirm seals can be manufactured, assembled, and serviced.
• Support vehicle development milestones and prototype and production builds, diagnosing and rapidly resolving water leaks, wind noise, and closing-effort issues.
• Manage supplier technical execution from tool kickoff through extrusion and molding trials to PPAP.
• Resolve launch issues at sealing interfaces by measuring seal gaps, performing chalk traces, trying part iterations, and integrating solutions.

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 between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

What This Job Offers

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