Design and Release Engineer - Body Interior (Door Trim)
Dearborn, MI · HybridJob$65–166K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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Requirements
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Job overview
The Design and Release Engineer develops, validates, releases, and implements body interior components and systems for vehicle programs. The role leads design work from master sections through assembly-plant implementation, ensuring compliance with engineering and manufacturing requirements and addressing launch issues. It also coordinates supplier work, testing, change control, and program deliverables. The position is hybrid, with onsite work required four or more days per week.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
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!
In this position...
The D&R (Design & Release) Engineer is responsible for the design, development, validation, release, and implementation of Body Interior components and systems for assigned vehicle programs. This includes leading the development of master sections and ensuring all aspects of the design contribute to manufacturing efficiency, cost optimization, quality, craftsmanship, ergonomics, serviceability and overall vehicle performance. The D&R engineer is responsible for designing parts that comply with Corporate and Legal Requirements, signing off on compliance to Engineering Requirements, ES (Engineering Specifications), DR (Design Rules), and Manufacturing, Assembly, and Service requirements. The engineer is also responsible for parts incorporation at the Assembly Plant and addressing any design, fit/finish, or assembly issues during launch.
What you'll do...
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Comply with Program cost, weight, quality, performance, and timing targets, including meeting GPDS Program Milestone Deliverables.
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Understand and apply the GPDS (Global Product Development System) process.
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Comply with and establish/maintain Program Specific Robustness Engineering Disciplines (Quality History, P–Diagram, DFMEA, SCCAF, Boundary Diagram, Campaign Prevent, Reliability and Robustness Checklist, etc.) as required.
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Develop, lead, and maintain Program Specific ESOW (Engineering Statement of Work). Participate in the Sourcing or Re-sourcing Process (Lead To4 and To5, piece price and tooling cost reviews), and lead CPA package development to ensure all documents (including Attachment III, Eng BOM, quote assumptions, Engineering specs, Design rules, DFMEA, SC & CC list) are complete and handed off to Purchasing on time.
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Support Studio Development at all stages (K1-K6) and identify Studio Surface for high-risk Fit and Finish Issues and appearance feasibility process.
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Conduct package studies and Lead development of Master Sections, including attributes for Manufacturing, Cost, Timing, Safety, Quality, Assembly, Craftsmanship, and Ergonomics.
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Lead CAE Studies (Attachments, Robustness, etc.) and manage CAD model transfer to and from suppliers.
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Complete Engineering Design by FDJ and all Studio Surface Transfer by UPV2.
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Apply Six Sigma and 8D issue resolution methodologies, including writing deviations and non-conformance agreements.
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Lead component design reviews and follow the TDR process (Technical Design Review).
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Release parts in FEDEBOM and WERS throughout the product life cycle, utilizing FEDE/WERS as the master program BOM including key attribute data for all parts. Support the Change Control Meeting, lead interface to program change control, and write 2-pagers to request changes, obtaining all necessary information from suppliers.
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Audit and update the BOM (Bill of Material) with correct part levels and usages for prototype builds and maintain it post Job 1. This includes replacing surrogate BOM with real BOM (PS to PSC), ensuring and maintaining CAD to BOM alignment throughout the program, initial loading of final assembly part numbers from surrogate BOM (pre-PS), assigning costs to prototype build BOM, and completing VP BOM validation to ensure proper parts are ordered and all buildable combinations are correct.
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Identify validation, durability, and functional tests required as per Engineering Requirements & ES (DVP / FEDEWB). Establish and maintain Program Specific DVP, meeting all First Pass DV testing by PEC, and completing sign-off of DVP&R with all test reports uploaded by FEC.
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Resolve DPA1 through 5, support (or lead as required) the PMT process, including change management meetings and/or open issues lists (including AIMS), and develop/maintain an Open Issues list for reporting design changes, risks, and opportunities.
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Lead parts implementation/Sign-off in the assembly plant and provide assistance with quality issues at all milestones. Lead resolution of any Design, Fit/Finish, Assembly component issues during launch and provide guidance once in production.
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Review and act upon PDLs (Product Design Letters) if affected.
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Support VQR, VRTs, and PVT as required.
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Jointly with STA (Supplier Technical Assistance), provide technical assistance to suppliers through the Supplier Engagement Process and PPAP completion. Support or lead as required Component PPAP (DFMEA, PFMEA, SC/CC list, Control Plan, Supplement K, etc.) and Supplier Readiness Reviews.
You'll have...
Bachelor's degree in Engineering or similar discipline.
3 years of experience with body Interior systems and components.
1 year of CAD experience.
Even better, you may have...
Master's degree in Engineering or similar discipline.
Strong 3D CAD knowledge (opening files, visualization, measurements, model transfer, etc.) and experience with CAE studies.
Basic knowledge of materials properties.
Basic knowledge of production processes.
Understanding of craftsmanship and ergonomics principles.
Experience with Studio Development processes and appearance feasibility.
Effective Project Management skills and effective cross-functional communication.
Ability to communicate and interact effectively with others.
Vision and knowledge of the automotive industry environment.
Microsoft Office management (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
English proficiency.
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:
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Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
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Paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
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Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments and more
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Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
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Tuition assistance
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Established and active employee resource groups
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Paid time off for individual and team community service
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Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
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-$166,200.
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR (https://urldefense.com/v3/\_\_https:/fordcareers.co/GSR\_\_;!!N\_LtwI-RPugbI9wg0dJn!D7P15v5KU6QdbqIQWQkKno1vLIBXBviWNpc9QCpjW9C-BItw2-uxIaDTGf4f7am3UYF5tH3FTgXFVkRe$) .
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.
#LI-Hybrid
#LI-DW1
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How this job compares
Set against the 2,430 open Design Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 12, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$65–166K/yr
- Michigan median$87–149K/yr37 salary ranges
- US median$108–160K/yr1,583 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $116K, is close to the Michigan median midpoint ($116K) — in the middle half of Design Engineer salary ranges in Michigan.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 69 open Design Engineer jobs in Michigan and 2,430 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Michigan
- Ford Motor Company (this employer)11 open
- Actalent9 open
- Kiewit6 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 3 years of experience; Design Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (2,020 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 1,656 of the 2,430 open Design Engineer jobs (68%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 12, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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