ADAS Performance Specialist – Ride Comfort

Alten; Chelsea, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a Vehicle Dynamics Engineer to join our automotive engineering team in the USA. You will contribute to chassis design, suspension and steering development, and lead CAE/virtual analyses to optimize ride, handling and performance across vehicle variants.

The role involves applying simulation tools (ADAMS/Car, MotionView, MATLAB/Simulink, VI-CarRealtime) and collaborating with cross-functional teams while ensuring DFMEA/DVP&R practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering from ABET-accredited university.
• Experience in chassis design/development and/or vehicle dynamics engineering.
• Proficiency with simulation tools listed above for ride/handling optimization.
• Excellent communication and ability to coordinate with extended teams.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.

Responsibilities

• Lead CAE/virtual analysis for steering/suspension hard-point development and stiffness/damping specs.
• Perform in-vehicle development to meet ride, steering, handling and tire performance objectives.
• Analyze/optimize suspension/steering sub-systems and overall vehicle dynamics.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to formulate design recommendations.

Skills

Vehicle dynamics

Chassis design

CAE/virtual analysis

Communication skills

Driving license

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering

Tools

ADAMS/Car

Altair MotionView

Opti-Struct

NASTRAN

MATLAB

Simulink

CARsim

I-Sight

VI-CarRealtime

Job description

We're ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries, we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you'll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

Job Responsibilities

• The overall objective is to minimize vehicle/suspension sensitivity to variation in forces induced by road surfaces, assembly build variation, vehicular architecture, and/or wear.
• Responsible for quality testing activities throughout all Program development phases; from up-front target setting and design definition, through in-vehicle testing on prototype properties, and then pre-production (pilot) properties.
• Ensure that critical components have appropriate targets/specifications to minimize sensitivity to brake rotor wear (judder), tire/wheel imbalance, vehicle lead/drift/pull, steering wander, torque steer, and vehicle shake (ride). This will be accomplished through a combination of simulation, objective testing, and subjective evaluation methods
• Responsible for in-vehicle development of the critical components to meet the vehicle's overall ride, steering, handling, and tire performance objectives.
• Requires specialized driving skills for subjective ride, steering, routine handling and limit handling evaluations.
• Responsible for the leadership of all CAE/virtual analysis activity associated with steering/suspension hard-point development; steering/suspension component stiffness /damping specification; and ride/handling
• Performance optimization for all variants of a vehicle architecture, including formulation of design recommendations.
• Analysis/optimization of suspension/steering sub-system kinematics and compliance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Equivalent from an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited university. Driving vehicles on CPG, Dynamics assessment, familiar chassis and Dynamics components, Validation vehicles
• Experience in chassis design/development and/or vehicle dynamics engineering experience.
• Solid understanding of system/component design/development processes.
• Experience with processes and simulation techniques associated with suspension/steering/brake system kinematics/compliance/vibration studies,
  vehicle ride/handling assessments, component structural analysis, and optimization.
• Experience with associated simulation tools: ADAMS/Car, Altair Motionview, Opti-struct, NASTRAN, AMEsim, CARsim, I-Sight, Matlab, Simulink, VI-Car realtime.
• Experience with driving simulator studies and associated preparation, validation, and loading of CAE/virtual models.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to coordinate activities with the extended team.
• Familiarity with Design Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (Design Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (DFMEA) and Design Verification Plan & Report (DVP&R) structure.
• Formal training in Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methods.
• Ability to extract component detail from NX, Teamcenter and CoDeP
• Demonstrated understanding of vehicle dynamics theory and application
• Experience with Suspension and Steering system kinematics and compliance as well as full vehicle ride and handling.
• Vehicle ride, steering and handling evaluation experience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to coordinate activities with other department / functions
• Proficient use of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Organized, self-motivated, work as required to support projects.
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Valid driver's license is required as well as a clean driving record - will be required to drive company vehicles.
• Demonstrated understanding of vehicle dynamics theory and application
• Experience with Suspension and Steering system kinematics and compliance as well as full vehicle ride and handling.
• Vehicle ride, steering and handling evaluation experience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to coordinate activities with other department / functions
• Proficient use of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).
• Organized, self-motivated, work as required to support projects.
• Excellent problem-solving skills

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.