Product Development Engineer - Core Latch Engineer

Ford Ford · Auto · Dearborn, MI +1 · PD Operations and Quality

Product Development Engineer for Core Latch systems at Ford, focusing on cost and weight efficiency, CAD design, analytical and physical analysis, strategy development, requirements management, issue resolution, and product testing. Requires BS in Mechanical Engineering or related field and 3+ years of experience in Automotive or Aerospace.

What you'd actually do

  1. The candidate will work with internal and external customers to develop competitive cost & weight efficient closer latches, and closer latching system designs.
  2. Additionally, the candidate will be responsible for engineering the required CAD and lead analytical and physical analysis to deliver a system that will meet all prescribed requirements.
  3. The candidate will be responsible for establishing closer latching strategy, reducing latching complexity, developing and maintaining latch requirements and design rules, ensuring that the latching system works seamlessly with the entire vehicle mechanical and electrical architecture.
  4. The candidate will lead root cause and resolution of latching issues during vehicle development and in field.
  5. The candidate will also be responsibilities for latch product testing, latch deliverables during the development process.

Skills

Required

  • BS Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or a related field
  • 3+ years of professional experience in the Automotive or Aerospace industry
  • Experience with latch and latch system design and development.
  • Hands-on experience with “in-house” engineering, design, and release, as well as managing full-service supplier commodities, with on-time delivery at cost & quality targets.
  • Design and Release/Product Development Engineer/ Closures Commodity Subject Matter Expert experience
  • Ability to work overtime & travel to support launches and issue resolution.
  • CAD experience

Nice to have

  • 2 years of professional experience in the Automotive or Aerospace industry.
  • 3+ years of direct experience in vehicle closer latching systems (e.g. tailgates, liftgates, swing gates, side doors, cargo doors) a plus.
  • Experience leading peers via Design reviews to resolve part to part interface issues and deliver a successful system.
  • Experience solving current model quality issues and implementing corrective actions.
  • Ability to utilize and demonstrate System engineering disciplines and Design for Manufacturing principles to proactively solve issues.
  • Knowledge of automotive exterior components, including materials and manufacturing technologies, such as stamping, injection molding, extrusion, forging, casting, welding, riveting, etc.
  • Experience with bolted joint structures
  • Experience with Structural mechanics
  • Experience with Systems engineering
  • Experience with latching vehicle electronics integration.
  • Experience with latching vehicle software integration.
  • Working knowledge of FEA, DFMEA, Control Plan development, & Dimensional Variation Analysis
  • Ability to operate within CATIA/3DX environment, Teamcenter Engineering, and Digital Buck
  • CATIA/3DX ability to create simple parts, sections, and studies a plus
  • Capability with Microsoft Suite of products (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)