Product Development Engineer-Interior/Exterior Hardware Integration

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

Product Development uses design thinking & user experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that delight our customers. We bring innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life. We have opportunities around the world for you to contribute to advancements in autonomy, electrification, smart mobility technologies, and more!

VHE (Vehicle Hardware Engineering) integration engineer for forward model programs acts as the single point of contact for Program to Functional Engineering, ensuring and coordinating functional support and assisting functional teams in any way possible to remove roadblocks and get the job done.

1. Systems Integration & Single Point of Contact: Serve as the primary point of contact for program team seeking functional engineering assistance, ensuring seamless collaboration and problem resolution. Provide comprehensive systems integration support within the functional departments.
2. Priority Alignment & Team Coordination: Facilitate the alignment of priorities within the functional department and between program teams, coordinating actions with functional teams to ensure successful achievement of program milestones.
3. Program Delivery & Process Ownership: Drive the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective solutions in accordance with program timelines, assuming program management responsibility for assigned systems.
4. Performance Management & Target Achievement: Manage processes, metrics, and deliverables to consistently meet program targets and timelines, tracking progress, implementing corrective actions, and ensuring overall program success.

What you'll do...

• Program Content Alignment: Support functional alignment with program assumptions, ensuring engineering design reviews and work streams are consistent with program timing. PDL change support through Program development, providing necessary updates and feedback for accurate verbiage and agreement on added content.
• VHE Meeting Leadership: Establish VHE integration meeting cadence and manages the agenda, schedule SharePoint and chair discussions. Documents and distributes meeting agendas, minutes, and open issues lists, serving as main communication channel of Program updates to functional teams. Serve as the primary liaison between Functional/Core teams, attribute teams, and Program, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.
• Integration Coaching: Provide guidance to Function Engineers on systems, tools, forms, and templates necessary to support the program and should assist D&R engineer if they see issues during the application.
• Target Management & Performance: Manage with the Function, commodity planning, development of complexity status, and part-level cost targets. Maintain a roadmap, action plan, and drive gap closure.
• Sourcing & Commodity Planning: Support Functional To4 on cost processes, from Key Commodity Planning to final sign-off of commodity targets with the supplier. Support DEA, Attachment C, and 1st Engineering Concept. Lead the receipt and tracking of SAL/CPA to final sign-off.
• Quality Planning & Management: Develop FMA planning for VHE commodities in alignment with Program content and driven by Functional team analysis. Manage Quality deliverables (RCL, DFMEA, SCCAF, etc) to support Engineering Milestones, ensuring timely updates subject to engineering changes, and sign-off completion for cross-functional alignment.
• Milestone Support & Declaration: Support Engineering Milestone reviews with VEV SO and Program teams, representing the Functional areas. Manage Functional Engineering teams to ensure they complete deliverable assessments on time (FEDE WB & GI). Ensure recovery plans are in place for late deliverables, enabling on-time and quality Milestone declaration.
• Data Integrity & System Alignment: Manage functional CAD to BOM alignment. Support Packaging and DPA workstreams, managing fallout from misalignment reports and E2KS issues. Ensure timely updates of required information in BOM, CAD, weight, and quality documents; as well as D/R sign-off for robustness.
• Design Verification & Compliance: Manage total Design Verification (DV) planning and timing to support program Milestone deliverables. Confirm conformance to design rules, regulations and requirements; coordinate CDR documentation and sign off; and consolidate potential deviations.
• Change Control Management: Ensure timely updates of required information to maintain a robust BOM and guarantee build stability. Attend CPE Decision Forums as required to manage changes and support approval. For Initial P-Release, establish glidepath and ensure adherence to it, coordinating Functional Engineering groups, CAD team, Suppliers, and VO for on-time sign-off and release. After P-Release, lead the functional concern process in WERS, supporting CR authorization and Notice release.
• Issue Resolution: Lead issue resolution, prioritizing clear Root Cause identification. Coordinate cross-functional problem-solving and assist functional teams in removing roadblocks to drive containment actions. Ensure proper documentation of workplan maintaining AIMS system updated for on-time disposition and or escalation.
• Prototype Build Support: Manage assembly illustration sign-off metrics. Lead the coordination of part pedigree and support procurement for bridging parts. Support the build process through vehicle sign-off. Manage binning of functional, assembly, and/or supplier quality issues raised during build and/or testing, and coordinate issue resolution workstreams within AIMS.
• Launch Support: Manage Engineering LQOS Metrics for all builds; including Change Control, BOM & Part Sign Off, Part Pedigree status, AIMS and OSM (Campaigns).
  • Part Pedigree Status Support: Attend OTG meetings to review and address Engineering open issues to meet PPAP target and documenting Support Plan and Risk Assessment through Alert as required.
  • On-site Build Support: Lead the assembly process for the Functional area at Production Plant Build events. Support binning and manage issue resolution for Whiteboard & DEMS calls, as well as for Quality audits, such as PDI, FCPA, FER & R202.
  • TVM Implementation Support: Manage Launch added TVM actions no differently from planned program PDL content. Recommend and support Engineering due diligence – incl. CAD compatibility & Sub-systems interface review, Manufacturing and Supplier feasibility assessment, as well as DV sign off plan. Help coordinate STA engagement for PPAP delivery to support launch metrics and industrialization plan.
  • PVT Program Hand off: Support PVT and Functional Engineering on any stop ships that occur prior to Plant Launch Exit completed. Help coordinate immediate reaction with Functional and STA teams to address stop ship/build issues.

You'll have...

Bachelor’s degree in engineering.

10+ years of experience in automotive Interiors preferred but will consider similar experience with Exteriors in addition to comprehensive knowledge of vehicle components and system functions.

1 year of CAD experience.

Even better, you may have...
Master's degree in engineering.

Design and Release Engineering or Vehicle Engineering experience is preferred.

Strong fundamentals and working knowledge of GPDS engineering milestones & GPDS process.

Experience in the Cost Setting Process and Functional Led Cost/Appearance Delivery Process a benefit.

Outstanding written and verbal communication skills (open, clear, and inclusive).

Outstanding leadership skills with demonstrated ability to deliver results.

Demonstrated organizational and delegation skills with proper follow-up.

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple issues effectively and efficiently.

Demonstrated ability to prioritize workload managing immediate and future needs.

Ability to build strong effective relationships with cross functional teams (Program, Purchasing, Finance, Engineering).

Onsite collaboration expected for at least 4 days per week.

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a salary grade 5 and ranges from $65,100-$109,300.

This position is a salary grade 6 and ranges from $74,300-$124,500.

This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $86,600-$144,900.

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $99,100-$166,200.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.

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