Design Perceived Quality Specialist

Ford; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 99,100 - 166,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Flexible schedule

Employee discounts

Paid time off

Job summary

Ford Design is seeking a DPQ Specialist to drive best-in-class interior and exterior fit and finish across Ford and Lincoln vehicles. You will bridge design, engineering and manufacturing to develop optimized surface execution and contribute to competitive assessments.

Responsibilities include leading PQ discovery, maintaining PQ libraries, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver PQ excellence while supporting global product programs and design goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Industrial Design, Quality, and/or Engineering.
• Proficient in creative problem-solving and collaboration.
• Deep knowledge of automotive materials and PQ excellence.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and build Designs PQ reference libraries.
• Improve interior and exterior PQ from a Design POV for Ford and Lincoln.
• Document program assessments for Design PQ excellence.
• Challenge execution norms to achieve BIC PQ by today’s standards.
• Share PQ assessment documents with design teams and programs.
• Collaborate with design, engineering, body engineering, craftsmanship and manufacturing to develop BIC PQ sections.
• Work with digital modelers to assess surface excellence and perfection.
• Assess 3D surface quality for highlights and execution.
• Build trust with Product Development counterparts.
• Lead the Design PQ Discovery process.
• Photo document current Global Ford products and competitive vehicles.

Skills

Design PQ

Automotive design

Surface development

Collaboration

3D modeling

Education

Bachelors degree in Industrial Design, Quality, and/or Engineering

Job description

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.

Join us in shaping the future of Ford Motor Company, as part of a global organization with exceptional colleagues in world-class facilities. As part of Ford Design, you’ll be at the cutting edge of Ford’s most strategically critical work, designing people and society’s needs into the heart of our next generation of products, services, and experiences.

The Design Perceived Quality (DPQ) Specialist is responsible for driving Best-In-Class (BIC) interior and exterior fit, finish, and surface execution for Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Bridging the gap between creative design, engineering, and manufacturing, this role collaborates with designers and cross-functional partners to develop optimized surface execution and sections (understanding both 'A' and 'B' sides) while challenging traditional execution norms. Additionally, the role leads, from a Design perspective, competitive assessment initiatives to document and share Areas of Concern (AoC) and Areas of Excellence (AoE).

What you'll do...

• This position maintains and builds Designs PQ assessment reference libraries.
• Responsible for Improving Interior and Exterior Perceived Quality from a Design POV for both Ford and Lincoln products.
• Responsible for program assessment and documentation for Design PQ that achieve excellence in all Ford and Lincoln products.
• Responsible for challenging execution norms and outdated sections to achieve BIC fit and finish, and PQ by TODAY'S NEW standards
• Responsible for sharing PQassessment documents w/design team and program to assist in prioritizing value of each element relative to customer perception
• Works with design teams, design engineering, body engineering, craftsmanship, and manufacturing in the development of sections that enable BIC PQ.
• Collaborates with digital modelers to assess and develop surface excellence and perfection
• Responsible for assessing 3D surface quality for highlights and execution
• Responsible for building trust and maintaining positive working relationshipswith Product Development counterparts (DTO, Craftsmanship, etc.)
• Leads the Design PQ Discovery process.
• Responsible for photo documentation of current Global Ford products as well as Global Best-In-Class competitive vehicles and maintains an online reference library (SharePoint site) of both Areas of Excellence and Areas of Concern for specific programs

You'll have...

• Bachelors degree in Industrial Design, Quality, and/or Engineering
• 7-8 years of studio engineering and/or design experience in an Automotive OEM
• Creative experience with knowledge of technical requirements for automotive design
• Proficient at creative problem-solving.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of automotive materials used in manufacturing
• Deep knowledge of what it takes to deliver PQ excellence
• Must be a great collaborator, works well with others, and has a team player mindset
• Deep knowledge of surface development and execution with a keen eye for design
• Deep understanding of materials and manufacturing to achieve BIC design PQ
• Understands "B" side surface to achieve execution excellence on the "A" side surface
• Must be a self-starter

Even better, you may have...

• Experience with OEM’s who are considered to have BIC PQ
• ICEM and Alias CAD literate with ability to pull up assess 3D digital data
• Computer skills and software knowledge of Microsoft Office
• # years direct experience with design digital tools
• Automotive Industrial Design and/or Engineering emphasis preferred
• Experience working in or with creative cultures
• Experience of managing multiple stakeholders across complex projects

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,

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 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. #LI-Hybrid

#DesignTeam #LI-SC3