Site STA - Underbody

Ford Motor Company • Dearborn, MI

9h • $63,480 - $166,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford Motor Company is seeking an experienced Supplier Technical Assistance (STA) engineer specializing in Underbody commodities. The role industrializes and manages supplier quality and capacity at Tier 1 supplier sites, covering transmission components and processes such as forging, casting, sintering, machining, assembly, heat treatment, coating, welding, riveting, joining, and gaging. The position supports component assemblies and end items including metals, hinges, and plastics.

The engineer drives supplier manufacturing excellence, launch readiness, and capacity assurance, ensuring that supplier parts meet quality, design, and production-rate requirements from pre-sourcing through mass production. Working with Ford teams and supplier partners, the role supports Powertrain and Vehicle systems for BEV and ICE programs, including transmission and underbody components, vehicle and battery forgings, castings, sintered components and structures, frames, powertrain, and electrical systems. Responsibilities include resolving production delivery issues for new-model launches and in-series production. Travel to supplier sites in the United States, Canada, and Mexico may be required depending on assignment.

This is a hybrid position. Candidates within commuting distance of a Ford hub may be required to work onsite four or more days per week. The position is in salary grades 6–8, with a stated salary range of $63,480–$166,200. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science/Engineering degree or academic equivalent.
• Manufacturing and/or program management experience in an industrial operations environment.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and commodities including castings, forgings, sintered components, cutting tooling, and assembly for vehicle systems such as transmission, underbody, vehicle and battery structures, frames, powertrain, and electrical assembly.
• Functional expertise in problem solving, quality systems such as SIM and IATF, and related tools.
• Experience managing supply or issue resolution.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English for work with global teams.
• Flexibility to travel to supplier sites in North America more than 70% of the time, typically three to four days per week or on weekends as needed.
• Comfort presenting supplier-related launch, quality, recall, warranty, stop-ship, and corrective-action topics to management.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with forging, casting, sintering, machining, cutting tools, assembly, stamping, welding, metal and plastic joining, injection molding, electronics manufacturing, painting, or machining.
• Advanced manufacturing-process knowledge and hands-on experience.
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification and demonstrated ability to lead quality improvement initiatives using Six Sigma principles, including DMAIC.
• Experience conducting statistical analysis and mentoring other engineers.
• Experience mentoring internal Supplier Quality Engineer teams.
• Experience industrializing new automotive manufacturing suppliers in North America, including greenfield sites, and achieving on-time PPAP approval.
• Experience with Ford's phased PPAP and APQP processes and deliverables.
• Experience using AI in problem-solving cases.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier launch readiness against Global Product Development System (GPDS) milestones to achieve flawless launches, on-time date-to-green targets, and optimized part pedigree.
• Review and approve supplier capital and tooling work plans, and evaluate end-item compliance through PPAP and Run-at-Rate assessments.
• Conduct onsite technical assessments and manufacturing feasibility evaluations for new sourcing and program integration.
• Drive defect prevention by reviewing and approving PFMEAs, Control Plans, SCCAFs, Special Manufacturing Process Assessments, Manufacturing Health Charts, and process controls.
• Use GD&T to assess print feasibility, datum structures, measurement systems, and process capability.
• Drive supplier adherence to special process requirements with Ford Technical Specialists and lead Q1-MSA assessments for continuous site improvement.
• Lead supplier containment and permanent corrective actions for critical quality issues, including QR, Stop Ship/Build, BSAQ, and Field Actions.
• Lead structured problem solving using methods such as Global 8D, A3, 5-Why, and Drill Down; establish root causes, error-proofing, recurrence prevention, and measurable defect reduction.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to establish and monitor Continuous Improvement Action Plans.
• Work with Purchasing on Global Capacity Planning studies and validate supplier Capacity Analysis Reports.
• Identify bottlenecks and manufacturing constraints, and oversee recovery plans to support supplier quality and production attainment.
• Manage supplier quality, capacity, and production delivery issues for new-model launches and in-series programs.
• Present to management on launch readiness, quality issues, recalls and warranty concerns, stop-ship events, corrective actions, and supplier-related issue resolution.

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 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: Mid Level