Studio Liaison Engineer

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... 
As a Studio Liaison Engineer, you will serve as the primary technical interface between the Design Studio and Functional Engineering teams. You are a creative problem-solver who can advocate for the studio’s aesthetic intent within the engineering community and, conversely, translate complex engineering criteria into actionable feedback for designers. Your mission is to protect the integrity of the design theme while ensuring every component meets rigorous engineering requirements, safety standards, and manufacturing feasibility.  The ideal candidate brings an engineering design background with experience delivering studio themes within financial targets.  

What you'll do...

Collaborative Brainstorming: Proactively participate in studio brainstorming sessions. Rather than simply identifying constraints, you will develop innovative concepts and alternative solutions to enable ambitious design themes.

Studio Advocacy: Communicate the "Studio Intent" to core engineering teams, ensuring that the technical development of the vehicle respects the original design vision.

Design to Cost: 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. 

Feasibility Leadership: 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.

Requirements Development: Define and document concise engineering criteria and technical requirements for specific vehicle systems and components.

Cross-Functional Communication: Act as a "translator" by communicating highly technical engineering constraints to a non-engineering audience (Designers, Sculptors, and Studio Leads) in a clear and collaborative manner.

Surface Compliance: Review and sign off on surface data (A-Class surfaces) to ensure compliance with hard points, legal requirements, and engineering packaging constraints, in conjunction with functional engineering teams.

System Expertise: Maintain a deep, "subject matter expert" level of knowledge regarding the specific systems you manage.

Monitor the early phase of the development of Interior Systems for Ford vehicles according to company-specific benchmarks.

Design parts in order to comply with Corporate and Local requirements for parts validation, considering the WCR (Worldwide Customers Requirements), ES (Engineering Specifications) and SDS (Systems Design specifications) as well as the Manufacturing and Assembly requirements. 

Translate customer, regulatory, and product requirements into engineering targets.

Compile and consolidate cost and complexity data for cross functional presentations.

You'll have...

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

Even better, you may 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.
Experience in vehicle regulations. 
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.

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. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. 

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