Vehicle Structures Architecture Engineer

Ford • Dearborn, MI

4d • $65,100 - $166,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ford is seeking a Vehicle Structures Architecture Engineer for its Dearborn, Michigan location. The role focuses on Body-in-White (BIW) structures, particularly Top Hat sheet-metal development, and the creation of flexible, cost-efficient, lightweight vehicle architectures that support varied occupancy and propulsion systems on accelerated program timelines. The engineer will develop robust steel, aluminum, and mixed-material solutions, including critical joining elements, structural load paths, stamping-feasibility features, part-complexity reduction, and Top Hat execution parameters while meeting durability and other vehicle-attribute requirements and balancing customer expectations, cost, range, and fuel economy.

The position develops sheet-metal Top Hat BIW architectures, particularly bodyside and roof designs, for a range of vehicle types and propulsion systems. It works closely with internal engineering, manufacturing, safety, design, and program teams to create feasible and efficient solutions, validate and optimize joints, and advance new lightweight materials and technologies. The engineer also prepares Catia studies and proposals, assesses competitive benchmarks, and provides a robust handoff to Applications Structures Engineering. The role is hybrid and requires onsite work four or more days per week in Dearborn, Michigan.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• At least 4 years of experience in Top Hat or Platform Body Structure sheet-metal or Closures sheet-metal product development on program timelines, including virtual and prototype-build validation and industrialization/launch experience.
• Experience with advanced technology development, particularly in body structure.
• Ability to perform manufacturing-feasibility analyses using CAD tools, including master sections, draft angles, undercuts/die locks, minimum bend radius, and clearance checks.
• Working knowledge and experience using engineering toolsets to derive, communicate, and publish 3D surfaces via Catia V5/TeamCenter Engineering and/or Catia V6/3DX.

Nice To Haves

• Master of Science degree in Engineering.
• 5 or more years of Body Engineering Design and Release experience in Body Structures.
• Expert-level Catia V5 or 3DX skills.
• Strong systems-interaction and integration skills with Closures, Safety, Studio/Class-A development, Exterior Ornamentation, Durability/NVH, and Purchasing/Costing.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated success with technical presentations.
• Demonstrated track record of strong leadership behaviors.

Responsibilities

• Develop new sheet-metal Top Hat BIW architectures, focusing on bodyside and roof development, aligned with customer use, advanced manufacturing, and product-cycle-plan requirements.
• Develop and support structures applicable to unibody and body-on-frame vehicles, including trucks, SUVs, and sedans, with a range of propulsion systems.
• Collaborate with Safety, Research, Manufacturing, Closures, Platform Structures, Materials Engineering, Vehicle Program teams, Vehicle Hardware Engineering, Flexible Vehicle Architecture, Advanced Manufacturing, Program Strategy & Planning, and other affected teams to develop feasible, efficient BIW solutions.
• Create Catia V5/3DX sheet-metal studies and proposals for review with affected teams.
• Maintain knowledge of competitive benchmarks and develop advanced projects to improve on existing Top Hat architectures.
• Validate and optimize standard and mixed-metal joint designs in BIW architectures.
• Work with Safety and CAE teams to develop new architectures and adapt and optimize existing platforms.
• Work with Studio Engineering to ensure designs are evocative, cost-competitive, and feasible to manufacture.
• Develop lightweight designs using new stamped materials, Aluminum High Pressure Die Casting, Plastic-Metal Hybrids, Multi-Piece-Integration technologies, and new aluminum and steel sheet-metal grades.
• Deliver a robust handoff to Applications Structures Engineering for continued optimization without requiring a revolution of architecture designs.
• Use AI to improve development efficiency and speed, reduce cost, and improve quality.
• Perform CAD feasibility analyses, including master-section development, draft-angle analysis, undercut/die-lock detection, minimum-bend-radius validation for sheet metal, and clearance checks.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• 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.
• 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: Mid Level