Casting Manufacturing Engineer

Ford Motor Company; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Parental leave

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Employee discounts

HMI development tools training

Job summary

Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, MI seeks a senior automation engineer to design, simulate, and implement automated material handling lines. You will drive virtual commissioning, validate robot paths, and optimize layouts for safety and reliability across production systems.

Join a fast-paced automotive environment with opportunities to lead cross-functional teams, manage equipment upgrades, and contribute to continuous improvement in safety, quality, and productivity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of manufacturing experience designing material handling lines.
• Advanced skills in robotics cell design and virtual validation.
• Strong knowledge of pneumatics/p&ids, hydraulics, and electrical schematics.
• Experience with Fanuc robot simulations and offline programming.
• Proven leadership and problem solving in fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop 3D simulations of robotic work cells using Siemens Process Simulate.
• Program and validate Fanuc robot tracks and end of arm tools.
• Use simulation data to optimize production layouts for safety and reliability.
• Lead virtual commissioning to reduce prototyping and accelerate readiness.
• Travel up to 60% domestically for installation and commissioning.
• Support software and HMI design following Ford standards.
• Drive automation equipment procurement and vendor management.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards and machine guarding.
• Create and maintain engineering documentation.

Skills

Robotics cell design

Virtual commissioning

Root cause troubleshooting

Leadership

Safety requirements

Ergonomics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Process Simulate

Teamcenter

Siemens TIA Portal

HMI development tools (EPLAN)

Fanuc robot simulation tools

Job description

The successful candidate will combine strong first principles fundamentals with hands‑on automation expertise to deliver reliable automated systems that improve manufacturing performance. They will be comfortable designing new automation solutions and drive through implementation, as well as troubleshooting complex robotic equipment for material handling lines, collaborating across multiple engineering disciplines, and driving continuous improvement initiatives in a fast‑paced automotive manufacturing environment to improve safety, quality, productivity and equipment reliability.

Core Responsibilities:

• Develop 3D simulations of robotic work cells with Siemens Process simulate to validate fixturing, tooling and equipment integration and accurate systems kinematics.

• Program and validate Fanuc robot tracks and end of arm tools, including offline robot paths, reach studies, cycle time optimization and interfacing with other systems.

• Use simulation data to define production line layouts, ergonomics, safety and equipment reliability.

• Drive virtual commissioning efforts to reduce prototyping activities as well as accelerating equipment readiness during commissioning.

• Travel up to 60% domestic to support installation, commissioning and troubleshooting of casting and machining production lines, including x‑ray and 3D scan cells.

• Support software and HMI design following Ford standard templates.

• Drive automation equipment procurement, vendor management and equipment improvements.

• Ensure compliance with safety standards, machine guarding requirements, and automotive manufacturing specifications.

• Create and maintain engineering documentation, including equipment specifications, tooling drawings, operating procedures, troubleshooting guides, and maintenance documentation.

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field (Or equivalent experience)
• Experience: 6+ years of manufacturing experience, designing and launching material handling production lines, including end of arm tools, dresspacks, fixtures and robot track units.
• Advanced skills in robotics cell design, Siemens NX and Process simulate, as well as Team Center for data management.
• Advanced understanding of pneumatics/p&ids, hydraulic drawings and electrical schematics.
• Experience in Fanuc robot simulations, virtual validation and root cause troubleshooting.
• Strong leadership and problem solving skills with a focus on efficiency and simplification.
• Strong background in manufacturing safety and ergonomic standards for automated production lines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to lead technical teams during equipment design and commissioning phase, breakdown situations and communicate effectively.
• 3+ years of experience in high pressure die casting environment.
• Knowledge of vision systems, electrical components, industrial networks.
• Siemens TIA Portal and HMI development is a plus.
• Siemens NX 3D modeling and E-plan skills are a plus.

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 6-8 and ranges from $74,300-$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.

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.