Design Quality Engineer

Altentechnologyusa; Macon Township (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking an experienced Quality Engineer focused on Class-A craftsmanship and appearance validation for automotive programs. You will collaborate with Design, CMF, Mastering, Suppliers, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing, and Product Development teams across the development lifecycle.

You will evaluate appearance-sensitive components, ensure design intent alignment, drive tooling and grain approvals, and support PPAP readiness while balancing manufacturing feasibility with

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Quality, Product Development, Craftsmanship, Design Validation, or related disciplines.
• Minimum 5 years of automotive industry experience.
• Experience evaluating appearance-sensitive or Class-A automotive components.
• Experience working with suppliers and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design Quality & Craftsmanship Validation across Class-A components.
• Approve tooling readiness prior to grain application.
• Appearance Approval Process (AAR) activities and PPAP support.
• Issue identification and resolution with suppliers and engineering teams.
• Program and data management across multiple projects.
• Cross-functional collaboration with CMF, Design, Mastering, and Manufacturing.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Product Development, or a related technical field

Tools

Microsoft Office

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.

Overview :

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Product Development, or a related technical field.
• Minimum 8+ years of experience in quality, product development, craftsmanship, supplier quality, or design validation environments, including at least 5 years within the automotive industry.
• This position is focused on ensuring the visual quality, craftsmanship, and design execution of Class-A interior and exterior components throughout the product development lifecycle.
• The role involves evaluating molded, painted, wrapped, chrome, and appearance-sensitive components to ensure alignment with design intent, visual standards, dimensional stability requirements, and production readiness expectations.
• The engineer will work closely with Design, CMF, Mastering, Suppliers, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing, and Product Development teams to identify and resolve craftsmanship, tooling, grain, and appearance-related issues before production launch.
• This position requires strong attention to detail, visual assessment expertise, supplier collaboration experience, and the ability to balance design intent with manufacturing reality in a fast-paced automotive development environment.

Key Responsibilities :

• Design Quality & Craftsmanship Validation
• Ensure Class-A components meet visual quality, craftsmanship, and design intent requirements
• Evaluate vehicle and accessory components against appearance and quality standards
• Support development and maintenance of craftsmanship expectations across programs
• Drive alignment between design intent and production execution
• Mold & Grain Approval Activities
• Review molded parts prior to grain application to ensure tool quality meets approval requirements
• Assess tooling and molded surfaces for cosmetic defects and quality concerns
• Validate supplier pre-grain approval documentation
• Approve tooling readiness prior to grain application activities
• Appearance Approval Process (AAR)
• Review and evaluate appearance approval parts including:
• Painted components
• Wrapped components
• Chrome components
• MIC components
• Other Class-A appearance parts
• Verify parts meet visual quality standards and dimensional stability requirements
• Support approval activities required for PPAP signoff and production readiness
• Issue Identification & Resolution
• Document visual, cosmetic, tooling, and craftsmanship concerns
• Generate visual reports supporting issue identification and resolution
• Work directly with suppliers and engineering teams to address identified concerns
• Support root cause investigations and corrective actions for appearance-related issues
• Supplier Quality Support
• Support supplier visits and on-site quality reviews as required
• Collaborate with Supplier Quality Engineers and supplier quality teams
• Assist suppliers in resolving tooling, grain, and appearance concerns
• Monitor supplier quality performance related to craftsmanship standards
• Program & Data Management
• Maintain documentation and records related to grain approvals, appearance approvals, and craftsmanship reviews
• Track program deliverables and approval status across multiple projects
• Support timeline management and milestone execution
• Maintain material development and craftsmanship databases
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Collaborate closely with CMF Design, Studio Engineering, Mastering, Manufacturing, and Supplier Quality teams
• Support plaque-to-part scaling and design execution activities
• Participate in design reviews and provide quality feedback throughout development

Profile:

• Passionate about vehicle craftsmanship, visual quality, and customer-facing product execution
• Strong eye for detail and ability to identify subtle appearance concerns
• Comfortable balancing design expectations with manufacturing feasibility
• Highly organized and capable of managing multiple programs simultaneously
• Strong communicator who can effectively work with suppliers, engineers, and design teams
• Self-driven and capable of operating independently with limited supervision
• Process-oriented with a structured approach to issue identification and resolution
• Thrives in fast-paced development and launch environments

Must Have:

• 8+ years of experience in Quality, Product Development, Craftsmanship, Design Validation, or related disciplines
• Minimum 5 years of automotive industry experience
• Experience evaluating appearance-sensitive or Class-A automotive components
• Experience working with suppliers and cross-functional engineering teams
• Strong understanding of craftsmanship, cosmetic quality, and visual acceptance criteria
• Experience documenting issues and supporting corrective actions
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools

Good to Have:

• Tooling experience
• Grain approval experience
• Appearance Approval Report (AAR) experience
• Injection molded plastic component experience
• CMF (Color, Material, Finish) experience
• PPAP exposure
• Supplier Quality experience
• Vehicle launch experience
• Class-A interior or exterior component expertise

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.