Design Release Engineer - Hard Trim

ALTEN; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking an Interior Lighting Design and Release Engineer (DRE) – Advanced to lead the design, development, and release of ambient, functional, and decorative interior lighting systems for automotive cockpits. You will translate vehicle lighting objectives into component requirements and oversee end-to-end development from concept through launch.

You will guide suppliers, coordinate with EE systems engineering, and ensure compliance with global lighting regulations while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, or Optical Engineering (ABET‑accredited).
• 5–7+ years automotive engineering experience; lighting or mechatronics preferred.
• Knowledge of LED, OLED, and emerging lighting technologies; optical design experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of component integration, GD&T, and system packaging.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier design activities and design reviews to ensure alignment with specifications and lighting targets.
• Define, track, and deliver quality, cost, timing, and performance objectives for interior lighting systems.
• Work with engineering and design studios to establish lighting architecture and integration opportunities.
• Act as regional engineering lead for interior lighting components and provide on-site support.
• Create and maintain DFMEAs, boundary diagrams, and interface matrices.

Skills

Automotive engineering

LED & OLED lighting

System integration

Cross-functional leadership

LIN/CAN networking

Education

ABET-accredited engineering degree

Tools

NX CAD

CATIA

Teamcenter

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.

Job Summary:

The Interior Lighting Design and Release Engineer (DRE) – Advanced is responsible for the design, development, and release of ambient, functional, and decorative interior lighting systems. This includes components such as LED modules, light guides, controllers, and harness interfaces, as well as system‑level integration with the instrument panel, doors, console, headliner, and other cockpit elements. The DRE will lead the development of vehicle‑level lighting functional objectives and translate them into component‑level requirements, ensuring compliance with performance, safety, and regulatory standards. The role covers the full lifecycle from concept and packaging through validation, release, and launch.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead supplier design activities and design reviews to ensure alignment with Client specifications, styling intent, and lighting performance targets.
• Define, track, and deliver quality, cost, timing, and performance objectives for interior lighting systems.
• Work with advanced engineering and design studios to establish lighting architecture, aesthetic integration, and innovation opportunities prior to sourcing.
• Act as the regional engineering lead for all interior lighting components and systems, providing on‑site technical support.
• Create and maintain DFMEAs, boundary diagrams, parameter diagrams, interface matrices, and Design Validation Plans & Reports (DVP&Rs).
• Ensure integration and compatibility of lighting systems with surrounding interior components, electronic control units (ECUs), and vehicle networks (LIN, CAN).
• Conduct benchmarking, competitive analysis, and technology scouting (e.g., OLED, dynamic/animated lighting, light‑based HMI concepts).
• Support warranty, quality, and customer satisfaction initiatives with technical analysis, root cause investigations, and resolution plans.
• Drive cost optimization and efficient investment strategies while meeting design and functional requirements.
• Provide technical input during the RFQ and sourcing processes.
• Manage releasing activities (EBOM, CCD/WebCN, Teamcenter, GIMS) and ensure program milestone compliance.
• Collaborate with EE systems engineering to define vehicle functional lighting specifications and Requirements Analysis Reports (RARs).
• Review and approve supplier hardware/software releases and validation reports, including optical performance testing.
• Ensure compliance with global lighting regulations and work with internal compliance teams and suppliers to validate conformity.
• Provide program leadership through issue management, status reporting, and technical presentations to management.
• Guide suppliers in the development, validation, and release of lighting hardware/software to achieve lighting objectives.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, or Optical Engineering (ABET‑accredited).
• 5–7+ years of automotive engineering experience; interior lighting or mechatronic/electronic component experience strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of LED, OLED, and emerging lighting technologies; optical design and validation experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of component integration, GD&T, and system packaging.
• Proficiency with CAD and PLM tools (NX, CATIA, Teamcenter).
• Experience with lighting test methods (photometric, colorimetry, durability) and lab validation equipment.
• Familiarity with LIN/CAN network communications and lighting ECU interaction.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with demonstrated use of reactive problem‑solving tools.
• Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and manage suppliers in a global development environment.
• Familiarity with systems and release processes preferred.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

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.

Note: Selecting “no” will not eliminate you from consideration for this role.

As set forth in ALTEN Technology USA’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.