Design Release Engineer - Body Exterior

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Engineer Body is responsible for the design, development, integration, validation, and release of vehicle body and exterior components across complete vehicle programs. The role owns assigned components and subsystems from concept and packaging through prototype builds, validation testing, production release, and launch support.

Working with customer engineering, program management, design studio, CATIA, CAE, suppliers, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, and vehicle integration teams, the Engineer Body delivers robust solutions that meet appearance, performance, cost, quality, timing, manufacturability, serviceability, and regulatory requirements. 

Key Responsibilities

Body & Exterior Product Development

•  Design and develop body and exterior systems, including fascias, grilles, trim, closures-related interfaces, mounting brackets, sensor integration hardware, enclosures, underbody shields, structural attachments, and related vehicle integration components.

•  Lead assigned components and subsystems from requirements definition and concept selection through detailed design, validation, production release, and launch.

•  Create and manage 3D CATIA models, assemblies, 2D drawings, engineering specifications, interface definitions, and design documentation. 

•  Ensure proper vehicle packaging, appearance harmony, assembly access, serviceability, durability, corrosion protection, and manufacturability.

•  Provide technical direction to product engineers, CATIA designers, CAE analysts, suppliers, and external engineering resources. 

Design Release & Configuration Management

•  Lead part and assembly release activities in the approved PLM environment and maintain complete engineering documentation throughout the product lifecycle.

•  Create and maintain engineering Bills of Material and ensure released data accurately reflects design intent and program requirements.

•  Execute engineering changes, support approval of workflows, and maintain product configuration integrity. 

•  Coordinate release-readiness reviews and ensure CATIA, drawings, specifications, BOMs, validation evidence, and open issues support the required maturity level. 

Project Planning, Targets & Reviews

•  Support project teams in achieving performance, cost, weight, quality, and timing objectives for assigned body and exterior content.

•  Lead product design reviews, document technical decisions, identify risks and opportunities, and escalate target deviations early.

•  Develop technical content for RFQs and specification books and support supplier evaluation and selection activities.

•  Coordinate CAE, DFMEA, DVP&R, tolerance analysis, and technical reviews to confirm product risks and requirements are addressed.

Key Responsibilities, Continued

Supplier & Manufacturing Collaboration

•  Work directly with suppliers on quotations, design reviews, DFM/DFA assessments, tooling development, material and process selection, and production readiness.

•  Evaluate manufacturing processes and tooling concepts, including injection-molded plastics, formed and machined components, joining methods, paint, and surface-finish requirements.

•  Collaborate with advanced manufacturing engineering and assembly teams to confirm production feasibility, assembly sequence, first-time quality, ergonomics, and launch readiness.

•  Support supplier and manufacturing issue resolution, containment, corrective action, and implementation of approved engineering changes.

Validation, Vehicle Builds & Issue Resolution

•  Develop and support Design Verification Plans for assigned components and coordinate structural, functional, durability, environmental, appearance, and vehicle-level validation activities.

• Analyze test failures, build concerns, and field learnings; lead root-cause analysis and implement verified corrective actions. 

•  Support Alpha, Beta, Pilot, and Production vehicle builds as the engineering point of contact for assigned body and exterior systems.

•  Manage build deviations, track engineering issues through closure, and incorporate lessons learned into future designs.

Cross-Functional & Customer Interface

•  Serve as a technical interface with customers, program management, design studio, vehicle integration, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, suppliers, and global engineering teams.

•  Collaborate with the design studio to maintain product appearance intent while achieving technical and manufacturing requirements.

•  Communicate design status, risks, decisions, timing impacts, and required actions through program reviews and technical presentations.

•  Build effective working relationships across customers, suppliers, manufacturing locations, and engineering disciplines.

Required Qualifications

•  Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Automotive Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or related engineering discipline; master's degree or MBA preferred. 

•  5+ years of automotive product development experience involving body, exterior, mechanical, structural, trim, or vehicle integration components.

•  Experience designing and releasing components through prototype, validation, production, and launch phases.

•  Experience working with suppliers, manufacturing organizations, customer engineering teams, and complete vehicle programs.

•  Proficiency with CATIA V5, CATIA V6, CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE, or equivalent CATIA and an ENOVIA or equivalent PLM system. 

•  Working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance stack-up, DFM/DFA, BOM and engineering change management, DFMEA, root-cause analysis, DVP&R, PPAP, and APQP.

•  Understanding of injection-molded plastics, sheet metal, castings, composites, machine parts, fasteners, joining techniques, paint, tooling, and exterior surface quality requirements. 

•  Knowledge of applicable vehicle regulations and the ability to translate requirements into specifications and validation plans.