Senior Design Engineer Specialist – Automotive Interior & Exterior Trim

Naffco; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Naffco is seeking a Senior Design Engineer Specialist for Automotive Interior & Exterior Trim to lead design and development of trim systems across vehicles. You will drive concept development, detailed engineering, and manufacturability reviews while coordinating with cross‑functional teams to hit fit, finish, durability and cost targets.

Requirements include a 7–12 year track record in automotive trim, strong CAD skills (Solidworks/CATIA/NX) and experience with PLM/ALM, GD&T and design for

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Industrial Design or a related discipline.
• 7–12 years’ experience in automotive trim development or component design.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (Solidworks, CATIA V5/V6, NX or similar) and PLM/ALM systems for design control.
• Strong knowledge of plastics, elastomers, composites, fasteners and bonding processes used in trim manufacture.
• Experience with tolerance stack‑up, GD&T, assembly fixtures and manufacturing process validation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end design and development of automotive interior and exterior trim systems, including dashboard and cockpit assemblies, interior cabin components and exterior plastic parts such as bumpers and claddings, ensuring robust, high‑quality, manufacturable designs that meet functional, aesthetic and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Design leadership

CAD proficiency

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Team mentorship

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering

Tools

Solidworks

CATIA

NX

PLM/ALM

Job description

Job Summary

Senior Design Engineer Specialist – Automotive Interior & Exterior Trim will lead design and development of interior and exterior trim systems for automotive applications. The role encompasses concept development, detailed engineering, manufacturability reviews, and cross‑functional coordination to deliver fit, finish, durability and cost targets across vehicles and commercial platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end design and development of automotive interior and exterior trim systems, including dashboard and cockpit assemblies, interior cabin components and exterior plastic parts such as bumpers and claddings, ensuring robust, high‑quality, manufacturable designs that meet functional, aesthetic and regulatory requirements.

• Apply deep expertise in plastic component engineering, including design for injection moulding, material selection and optimisation of features such as wall thickness, ribs, bosses and fastening strategies, while ensuring durability, thermal and environmental performance standards and cost‑efficiency.

• Support manufacturing readiness through the development of tooling concepts, jigs, fixtures and assembly aids, applying Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles to ensure smooth transition to mass production.

• Conduct engineering validation activities, including tolerance stack‑up analysis, fit and finish evaluation and structural/functional assessments, collaborating with CAE teams and participating in prototype builds and testing phases.

• Act as a subject‑matter expert on interior and exterior trim systems, coordinating with styling, chassis, electrical integration, manufacturing and external suppliers to ensure seamless component integration within the overall vehicle architecture.

• Manage engineering data and documentation using PLM systems such as Teamcenter and Oracle, ensuring accurate CAD models, drawings, BOM structures and adherence to release and revision control processes.

Scope of Role

• Own end‑to‑end design activities for assigned trim modules across multiple vehicle programmes.

• Provide technical leadership and decision‑making on material, process and tolerance matters.

• Interface with cross‑functional teams including programme managers, suppliers and test labs to ensure timely delivery of project milestones.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Industrial Design or a related discipline.

• Minimum 6–10 years’ experience in automotive trim development or component design, including interior and exterior systems.

• Proficiency in 3D CAD (Solidworks, CATIA V5/V6, NX or similar) and experience using PLM/ALM systems for design control.

• Strong knowledge of plastics, elastomers, composites, fasteners and bonding processes used in trim manufacture.

• Experience with tolerance stack‑up, GD&T, assembly fixtures and manufacturing process validation.

• Familiarity with testing requirements (environmental, durability, UV, abrasion, FMVSS/UNECE where applicable) and failure analysis methods.

• Excellent communication, problem‑solving and stakeholder management skills; able to influence across functions and with suppliers.

• Demonstrable track record of delivering projects to schedule and cost targets; experience of supplier technical development is desirable.

Personal Attributes

• Proactive, pragmatic and quality‑focused with strong attention to detail.

• Collaborative team player who can lead technical discussions and mentor colleagues.

• Adaptable to changing programme priorities and comfortable working to tight deadlines.

Important

Typically requires 7–12 years of experience in automotive design, with strong exposure to OEM or Tier 1 environments. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of trim systems, plastic design standards, surface development (Class A/B/C) and assembly interfaces, along with strong problem‑solving skills and attention to detail.