Design Release Engineer - Oil Pans and Covers

Stellantis; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle lease program

Tuition reimbursement

Volunteer hours

Job summary

Stellantis NV is seeking an experienced Design Release Engineer to lead oil pan and cover design for engine and vehicle integration. You will guide concepts, validate designs with CAE and VSA, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet cost, quality, and timing targets.

You will own BOMs, drive PPAP activities, and coordinate with purchasing for on-time sourcing while maintaining detailed engineering documentation and compliance with program milestones.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field.
• 1+ year of relevant automotive design and manufacturing experience; oil pan/cover design is a plus.
• Strong understanding of component-level design, formation, assembly, and integration.
• Familiarity with DFMEA and DVP&R documentation.
• Knowledge of material properties, GD&T, CAE, and VSA.
• Ability to define system and component-level requirements.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of Oil Pans and Covers aligned with engine/vehicle requirements.
• Develop concepts for Oil Pans, Front Covers, and Valve Covers considering packaging and performance.
• Support CAD modeling, CAE analysis, and VSA for engineering standards compliance.
• Collaborate with engine, vehicle, system, and packaging teams to integrate components.
• Engage with technical expert leads to uphold engineering best practices.
• Maintain sourcing documentation including SOR templates and inspection standards.
• Oversee design release activities from concept through production milestones (B-Sample to X3).
• Own BOMs and Engineering Change Notices for assigned components.
• Lead PPAP for Oil Pans, Front Covers, and Valve Covers; ensure regulatory and customer specs.

Skills

Mechanical design

DFMEA

DVP&R

Project management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Design & Development

• Lead the design of Oil Pans and Covers, ensuring alignment with engine and vehicle requirements.
• Develop and refine concepts for Oil Pans, Front Covers, and Valve Covers based on packaging, performance, and system constraints.
• Support CAD modeling, CAE analysis, and other design validation methods—including VSA (Variable Simulation Assembly)—to ensure compliance with engineering standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering groups (engine, vehicle, systems, packaging) to integrate Covers and Pans into the engine and overall vehicle architecture.
• As a DRE, partner with the Covers and Pans technical expert lead to uphold engineering best practices throughout component development.
• Maintain sourcing documentation for relevant components, including SOR templates, Part Inspection Standards, and Technical Specification Lists.

Release & Program Management

• Manage design release activities from early concept through production, ensuring timely completion of B‑Sample, C‑Sample, X0, X1, X2, and X3 milestones.
• Own the Bill of Materials (BOM) and Engineering Change Notices (CNs) for assigned system components.
• Ensure that all parts meet cost, quality, and timing targets; work closely with purchasing to support on‑time sourcing.
• Lead the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) for Oil Pans, Front Covers, and Valve Covers, ensuring compliance with regulatory and customer specifications.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, suppliers, and quality teams to ensure successful release, handling, assembly, and implementation of designs.

Technical Guidance & Problem Solving

• Participate in weekly or bi-weekly meetings with the global Technical Expert community.
• Provide technical leadership during development and production to resolve design issues, material challenges, and manufacturing process concerns.
• Lead DFMEA activities and other risk assessment processes to ensure design robustness and mitigate potential issues.
• Support the development of test strategies, including bench-level and vehicle-level system testing.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with suppliers to ensure design feasibility, cost effectiveness, and manufacturability of assigned components.
• Collaborate with validation teams to define and execute testing plans that meet functional and performance requirements.
• Partner with vehicle integration teams to ensure proper fit, safety, and system compatibility within vehicle platforms.

Documentation & Reporting

• Support development and maintenance of engineering best practices in collaboration with the technical expert lead.
• Create and maintain engineering documentation—including design specifications, drawings, DVP&Rs, and validation reports.
• Ensure all technical documentation aligns with program timelines and PPAP requirements.
• Provide clear status updates, timing reports, and risk assessments to senior leadership and stakeholders.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 1 year of relevant experience working with design and manufacturing within the automotive industry. Previous oil pan and cover design and release experience is desired, but not a requirement.
• Strong understanding of component‑level design and manufacturing processes, including formation, assembly, and integration.
• Familiarity with product development documentation such as DFMEA and DVP&R.
• Knowledge of material properties, rigidity, compliance, strength, GD&T, CAE analysis, and VSA.
• Ability to define system and component‑level requirements.
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills (oral and written).
• Demonstrated project management experience.
• Proven understanding of Design Release Engineer responsibilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in casting and plastic component design.
• Hands‑on experience developing and executing validation plans.
• Key traits for success: action-oriented, comfortable with ambiguity, customer-focused, strong problem‑solving skills.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools, preferably Siemens NX, Team Center

Our Benefits — Designed with You in Mind

Comprehensive Health & Well-being Coverage

From your very first day, you'll have access to medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage — ensuring you and your family stay healthy and protected.

Generous Paid Time Off

We believe in work‑life balance. That's why we offer: 17+ paid holidays, including shut‑down from December 24th through New Years Day every year. Vacation, float & wellbeing days, sick time and fully paid parental leave when your family needs you most.

Competitive Retirement Savings Plans

We help you plan for the future with:

• An employer match on contributions to your 401k, Roth, and Catch‑Up plans
• An employer contribution, even if you don't contribute

Income Protection & Insurance Options

Benefit from included and optional disability, life, and other insurance programs — because your peace of mind matters.

Company Vehicle Lease Program

Eligible employees and their immediate families can enjoy company vehicle lease options with included insurance, maintenance, and unlimited mileage. Plus, take advantage of exclusive discounts on Stellantis products.

Family Building Benefit

We proudly support all paths to parenthood- including fertility and infertility treatments, adoption services, and gestational surrogacy.

Support for Your Growth and Giving Back

We believe in investing in your future and your passions:

• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan refinancing programs
• 18 paid volunteer hours each year to make a difference in your community

And so much more!

When you join us, you're not just building a career — you're joining a company that supports you, inside and outside of work.