Design Release Engineer - Exterior Lighting

General Motors; Warren (MI); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors in Warren is seeking an Exterior Lighting Design Release Engineer to drive the design, development, integration, and release of exterior lighting systems for GM vehicle programs, including EV and ICE platforms. This role supports concept development through production launch by defining performance requirements, leading packaging, and delivering production-ready lighting solutions.

The position requires a Bachelor's in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering and 2+ years in exterior

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 2+ years of engineering experience in exterior lighting, injection-molded plastic components, or related automotive systems.
• Proficiency with NX and Teamcenter/Unigraphics.
• Experience with vehicle integration, product development, design release and engineering validation processes.
• Knowledge of DFMEA, DVP&R, GD&T, BOM creation, and engineering documentation.
• Strong project management, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive technical decisions independently.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and release of exterior lighting components and systems.
• Collaborate with Styling, Electrical, Validation, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Quality, and suppliers to develop and integrate lighting solutions.
• Define and execute system performance requirements based on customer needs, benchmarking, regulations, and program objectives.
• Develop and manage NX/Teamcenter math data, packaging studies, and vehicle integration activities.
• Support design reviews, feature development, lighting animations, and system-level communications.
• Lead issue resolution, engineering evaluations, and design tradeoff decisions involving performance, cost, mass, manufacturability, and timing.
• Manage supplier engagement, validation activities, and launch readiness.
• Create and maintain engineering documentation, including SORs, SOWs, ICDs, DFMEAs, DVP&R, drawings, and BOMs.
• Support benchmarking, technology development, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

NX

Teamcenter

Unigraphics

MATLAB

Simulink

Abaqus

Job description

Job Description

This role is categorized as hybrid, meaning the selected candidate will be expected to work on‑site at the Warren Tech Center at least three days per week (or other frequency determined by their manager).

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 Exterior Lighting Design Release Engineer is responsible for the design, development, integration, and release of exterior lighting systems for GM vehicle programs, including EV and ICE platforms. This role supports concept development through production launch by defining performance requirements, leading packaging integration, managing design feasibility, and delivering robust, production-ready lighting solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, development, and release of exterior lighting components and systems.
• Collaborate with Styling, Electrical, Validation, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Quality, and suppliers to develop and integrate lighting solutions.
• Define and execute system performance requirements based on customer needs, benchmarking, regulations, and program objectives.
• Develop and manage NX/Teamcenter math data, packaging studies, and vehicle integration activities.
• Support design reviews, feature development, lighting animations, and system-level communications.
• Lead issue resolution, engineering evaluations, and design tradeoff decisions involving performance, cost, mass, manufacturability, and timing.
• Manage supplier engagement, validation activities, and launch readiness.
• Create and maintain engineering documentation, including SORs, SOWs, ICDs, DFMEAs, DVP&R, drawings, and BOMs.
• Support benchmarking, technology development, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 2+ years of engineering experience in exterior lighting, injection-molded plastic components, or related automotive systems.
• Proficiency with NX and Teamcenter/Unigraphics.
• Experience with vehicle integration, product development, design release and engineering validation processes.
• Knowledge of DFMEA, DVP&R, GD&T, BOM creation, and engineering documentation.
• Strong project management, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive technical decisions independently.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with exterior lighting regulations and global vehicle lighting requirements.
• Experience working with global suppliers and supporting programs through production launch.
• Knowledge of lighting electronics, optics, animations, and feature development.
• Familiarity with MATLAB, Simulink, Abaqus, Python, or related engineering tools.
• Advanced engineering degree preferred.

Success Measures:

• Deliver robust, compliant, and production-ready exterior lighting designs.
• Meet program timing, quality, cost, and performance targets.
• Successfully manage supplier activities, validation, and launch support.
• Drive issue resolution, technical excellence, and continuous improvement across vehicle programs.

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.)

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day - individually and collectively - to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

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