Studio Liaison Engineer

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

The Studio Liaison Engineer at Ford acts as a technical bridge between the Design Studio and Functional Engineering teams, ensuring design intent is met while adhering to engineering requirements, safety standards, and manufacturing feasibility. This role involves collaborative brainstorming, advocating for design themes, managing design-to-cost targets, assessing feasibility, defining engineering criteria, and communicating technical constraints to non-engineering audiences. The position requires a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or similar, with 3+ years of experience in automotive interior systems and knowledge of vehicle regulations.

What you'd actually do

  1. Proactively participate in studio brainstorming sessions. Rather than simply identifying constraints, you will develop innovative concepts and alternative solutions to enable ambitious design themes.
  2. Communicate the "Studio Intent" to core engineering teams, ensuring that the technical development of the vehicle respects the original design vision.
  3. Work side by side with Studio, Design to Cost group and System Architecture Engineers to define an optimal theme convergence and affordability targets guaranteeing a profitable vehicle.
  4. Serve as the single point of contact for all feasibility assessments within the Studio. Evaluate design themes early in the process to identify potential engineering enablers.
  5. Define and document concise engineering criteria and technical requirements for specific vehicle systems and components.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or similar degree
  • 3+ years of experience in automotive cockpit and trim and/or related Interior Systems
  • Experience in vehicle regulations

Nice to have

  • Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or similar degree
  • Root cause analysis for design/manufacturing issues, and quick implementation of corrective actions
  • Experience with Complex Systems, real materials, wrapping process, IMG/IMGL, FIP, Injection Molding, lamination technology
  • Experience in Human Center Design / Design Thinking
  • Experience in the use of Design Tools (CATIA/Teamcenter/Digital Buck/GD&T/RSS Studies/DFMEA)
  • Proficient in the use of Analytical Tools (CAE/Moldflow)
  • Ability to compile data in the form of a decision matrix, report summary, etc. to be presented to Program and Interior Management Team and Studio
  • Strong oral and written communication skills
  • Team oriented
  • Self-driven, highly motivated, and accepting new challenges
  • Demonstrated delivery of results
  • Experience designing and developing Interior Instrument Panel Systems, Consoles Systems, or related components desired

What the JD emphasized

  • rigorous engineering requirements
  • safety standards
  • manufacturing feasibility
  • vehicle regulations