Advanced Vehicle Development Lighting - Design and Release Engineer

General Motors Company; United States; Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors Company seeks a Lighting Advanced Vehicle Development Design Release Engineer to define and advance exterior lighting content from early programs through production handoff. You will serve as the primary engineering interface among Studio, Design, vehicle programs, and suppliers, guiding decisions on design intent, cost, quality, and timing.

You will build cost and content models, lead design-to-cost discussions, review RFQs, and ensure alignment with program targets while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, optical, automotive, or related engineering discipline.
• Typically seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in automotive exterior lighting, vehicle engineering, design release, advanced development, or a related field.
• Experience with exterior lighting concepts, content approval, RFQ activity, technical reviews, sourcing, or comparable vehicle development processes.
• Strong understanding of lighting technology, optical performance, electronics, power consumption, packaging, supplier capabilities, manufacturing, and applicable regulations.
• Experience developing cost and content proposals, design‑to‑cost alternatives, competitive benchmarks, or should‑cost estimates.
• Ability to balance Studio intent, program targets, technical requirements, supplier capability, regulatory requirements, cost, and timing.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, negotiation, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple programs, and make sound decisions with incomplete or changing information.

Responsibilities

• Define early lighting scope, trim content, carryover and new content, technology strategy, supplier options, competitiveness, and engineering criteria.
• Partner with Studio, Design, Brand Leads, and lighting designers throughout sketch, clay, theme, and surface development.
• Assess feasibility, appearance, optics, photometry, packaging, electronics, power, thermal performance, manufacturability, cost, and regulatory considerations.
• Develop engineering alternatives that preserve design intent while meeting program targets.
• Build ground‑up lighting cost and content models.
• Lead content walks, design‑to‑cost proposals, cost approval forums, and trade‑off discussions involving design, suppliers, investment, piece cost, performance, and timing.
• Support Statement of Requirements (SOR) development, requests for quotation (RFQs), supplier quote reviews, negotiations, sourcing decisions, and final quote comparisons.
• Evaluate supplier technology, capability, performance, tooling, cost, and timing; support post‑sourcing activities and handoff to production DREs.
• Serve as an early liaison to Technical Specialists and execution teams, considering lighting design, optics, electronics, power and EV‑range impacts, packaging, manufacturing, total enterprise cost, and global regulations.
• Improve lighting program execution through cost‑estimating tools, purchasing analytics, benchmarking, calculators, templates, databases, and lessons learned.
• Share knowledge across programs, regions, AVD, DRE, Finance, Purchasing, and engineering teams.

Skills

Bachelor’s degree

7+ years experience

Exterior lighting

Cost/content proposals

Design-to-cost

Cross-functional collaboration

Independent work

Studio/Design liaison

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical/electrical/optical/automotive engineering

Tools

Cost modeling tools

Job description

Job Description This role is categorized as hybrid. The selected candidate will be expected to work on-site at the Warren Tech Center at least three days per week, or as otherwise determined by the hiring leader.

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard —from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next‑generation safety and entertainment features. Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.

About the role

The Lighting Advanced Vehicle Development Design Release Engineer (AVD DRE) is an individual contributor responsible for defining, integrating, and advancing exterior lighting content from early vehicle programs through design alignment, content approval, sourcing, and handoff to production engineering. This role is the primary engineering interface among Studio and Design, vehicle program teams, Technical Specialists, Purchasing, Finance, suppliers, and production lighting DREs. The AVD DRE applies lighting engineering, design-for-cost, supplier, and program execution expertise to guide cross‑functional decisions and protect design intent, cost, quality, and timing.

Key responsibilities

• Define early lighting scope, trim content, carryover and new content, technology strategy, supplier options, competitiveness, and engineering criteria.
• Partner with Studio, Design, Brand Leads, and lighting designers throughout sketch, clay, theme, and surface development.
• Assess feasibility, appearance, optics, photometry, packaging, electronics, power, thermal performance, manufacturability, cost, and regulatory considerations.
• Develop engineering alternatives that preserve design intent while meeting program targets.
• Build ground‑up lighting cost and content models.
• Lead content walks, design‑to‑cost proposals, cost approval forums, and trade‑off discussions involving design, suppliers, investment, piece cost, performance, and timing.
• Support Statement of Requirements (SOR) development, requests for quotation (RFQs), supplier quote reviews, negotiations, sourcing decisions, and final quote comparisons.
• Evaluate supplier technology, capability, performance, tooling, cost, and timing; support post‑sourcing activities and handoff to production DREs.
• Serve as an early liaison to Technical Specialists and execution teams, considering lighting design, optics, electronics, power and EV‑range impacts, packaging, manufacturing, total enterprise cost, and global regulations.
• Improve lighting program execution through cost‑estimating tools, purchasing analytics, benchmarking, calculators, templates, databases, and lessons learned.
• Share knowledge across programs, regions, AVD, DRE, Finance, Purchasing, and engineering teams.

Typical deliverables

• Early program lighting inputs and content recommendations
• Competitive benchmarks, cost targets, and technology or supplier strategies
• Studio concept assessments and engineering feedback
• Ground‑up cost and content models and content approval presentations
• SOR inputs, RFQ and supplier quote analyses, and sourcing recommendations
• Technical, cost, content, and timing trade‑off recommendations
• Supplier technology and performance references
• Handoff documentation and post‑sourcing support
• Process improvements, calculators, templates, and lessons learned

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, optical, automotive, or related engineering discipline.
• Typically seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in automotive exterior lighting, vehicle engineering, design release, advanced development, or a related field.
• Experience with exterior lighting concepts, content approval, RFQ activity, technical reviews, sourcing, or comparable vehicle development processes.
• Strong understanding of lighting technology, optical performance, electronics, power consumption, packaging, supplier capabilities, manufacturing, and applicable regulations.
• Experience developing cost and content proposals, design‑to‑cost alternatives, competitive benchmarks, or should‑cost estimates.
• Ability to balance Studio intent, program targets, technical requirements, supplier capability, regulatory requirements, cost, and timing.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, negotiation, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple programs, and make sound decisions with incomplete or changing information.
• Willingness to work directly with Studio, suppliers, Purchasing, program teams, and engineering organizations in a highly collaborative environment.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with GM vehicle development processes and milestones, including GVDP, IBR, PFI, Boxscore, DCR, DCTA, eSOR, and VPI.
• Experience with competitiveness development, total enterprise cost, base engineering content calculations, optical efficiency analysis, or power and EV‑range impact analysis.
• Experience with purchasing analytics, supplier cost databases, cost development tools, or equivalent cost‑modeling systems.
• Experience with adaptive driving beam, matrix or digital lighting, illuminated grilles, thin‑lens modules, micro‑optics, light guides, or other emerging lighting technologies.
• Experience supporting multiple vehicle architectures, brands, body styles, regions, or accelerated program timelines.
• Familiarity with global lighting regulations, GM lighting requirements, validation expectations, and Technical Specialist processes.

Success in this role

Success is demonstrated through high‑fidelity lighting content and cost proposals delivered on schedule; early alignment among Studio, Design, program teams, Engineering, Purchasing, Finance, and suppliers; clear technical and business logic supporting content decisions; realistic cost targets; effective adoption of emerging technologies; reduced downstream rework, cost surprises, timing disruptions, and handoff gaps; and reusable processes that improve execution from concept development through sourcing and production engineering handoff.

Role scope

The AVD DRE leads early lighting content, feasibility, technology, cost, and sourcing alignment. The role partners with, but does not replace, the responsibilities of production DREs, Technical Specialists, Studio and Design, Finance, Purchasing, suppliers, and program leadership. Final ownership of production execution, validation, regulatory approval, and released production content remains with the designated execution organizations.

Immigration Sponsorship

GM DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMIGRATION-RELATED SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS ROLE. DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU WILL NEED GM IMMIGRATION SPONSORSHIP NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. THIS INCLUDES DIRECT COMPANY SPONSORSHIP, ENTRY OF GM AS THE IMMIGRATION EMPLOYER OF RECORD ON A GOVERNMENT FORM, AND ANY WORK AUTHORIZATION REQUIRING A WRITTEN SUBMISSION OR OTHER IMMIGRATION SUPPORT FROM THE COMPANY (e.g., H‑1B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J‑1, etc.).

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1‑B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J‑1, etc.).

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Additional Information

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