Applications Engineer General

Are you passionate about designing mechanical systems that customers interact with every day? Our client is seeking a Design & Release Engineer (D&R Engineer) to lead the development of vehicle handles, locks, latches, hinges, and closure mechanisms for doors, hoods, liftgates, tailgates, decklids, and other vehicle closures. In this role, you will be responsible for taking components from concept through production launch, ensuring they meet quality, safety, durability, cost, weight, and performance targets. You will collaborate with suppliers, manufacturing facilities, and cross-functional engineering teams to deliver world-class vehicle closure systems. This is an excellent opportunity for engineers with experience in automotive mechanisms, closure systems, seat mechanisms, or other complex mechanical assemblies who enjoy solving challenging design and manufacturing problems.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design, development, validation, release, and launch of handles, locks, latches, hinges, and closure mechanisms.
• Own component performance related to quality, durability, safety, cost, weight, and timing targets.
• Partner with suppliers to develop production-ready products and resolve technical issues.
• Create and review 3D CAD models, packaging layouts, and engineering drawings using CATIA.
• Manage engineering releases, BOM structures, and design changes throughout the product lifecycle.
• Conduct design reviews and ensure compliance with engineering requirements and design standards.
• Analyze and validate component performance through tolerance studies, CAE analysis, simulations, and physical testing.
• Develop and maintain engineering documentation, including:
• DFMEA
• DVP&R
• Boundary Diagrams
• P-Diagrams
• SCCAF
• Support product launches at supplier facilities and assembly plants.
• Investigate quality concerns using structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D and 5 Why analysis.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, purchasing, product development, and supplier teams to deliver successful vehicle programs.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 2 years of engineering experience in:
• Automotive closure systems
• Latching systems
• Seat mechanisms or seat structures
• Mechanical product development
• Similar mechanism-based engineering applications
• Experience with CAD platforms such as:
• CATIA
• 3DEXPERIENCE
• Teamcenter
• Knowledge of:
• GD&T
• Tolerance stack-up analysis
• Product development processes
• Mechanical design principles
• Experience supporting engineering releases and product launches.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work on-site full-time in Dearborn, Michigan.
• Ability to travel as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Design Release Engineer (DRE) experience.
• Experience with:
• Door latches
• Liftgate/tailgate systems
• Hood or decklid mechanisms
• Door handles
• Vehicle closure systems
• Understanding of:
• DFMEA
• PFMEA
• PPAP
• Root Cause Analysis
• Six Sigma methodologies
• Experience reviewing CAE analyses.
• Knowledge of WERS, Teamcenter, and VisMockup.
• Mechatronics or electromechanical systems experience.
• Automotive launch experience.
• Strong communication and supplier-management skills.

Technical Skills Required

• CATIA
• Teamcenter
• Design Release Engineering
• Product Design & Development
• Mechanical Engineering
• GD&T
• Change Management
• Root Cause Analysis (8D / 5 Why)
• Supplier Management
• Cross-Functional Engineering Collaboration

Preferred

• WERS
• VisMockup
• CAE
• AutoCAD
• DFMEA
• PFMEA
• PPAP
• Six Sigma Green Belt
• Systems Engineering
• Project Management

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role? The ideal candidate is a hands-on mechanical engineer who enjoys designing and improving moving mechanical systems. They can balance technical requirements, manufacturing constraints, quality expectations, and program timing while leading suppliers and collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines. Successful candidates often come from backgrounds involving:

• Automotive closure systems
• Latching mechanisms
• Door hardware
• Seat structures and mechanisms
• Heavy equipment mechanisms
• Aircraft landing gear systems
• Industrial mechanical assemblies

This role offers the opportunity to work on future vehicle programs supporting advancements in:

• Electrification
• Smart Mobility
• Customer Experience Design
• Innovative Mechanical Systems

You’ll work on highly visible vehicle components that millions of customers interact with every day while contributing directly to vehicle launches and product innovation. If you’re passionate about mechanical design, vehicle systems, and bringing products from concept to production, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits: 80 hours paid time off, and medical insurance contributions, dental vision and our 401k retirement savings plan