Design Release Engineer - Wiper / Washing Systems

ALTEN Technology USA; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is hiring an Automotive Wiper & Washer System Design Release Engineer in Auburn Hills, MI. The role leads design, development, packaging, and production release of wiper subsystems for global vehicle programs, coordinating with BIW, EE, software, and PDO teams.

You will drive DVP&R and DFMEA, manage ECN/ECR changes, and support launches at manufacturing plants, while optimizing cost and weight and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or ABET-accredited equivalent.
• 3 to 5+ years of automotive product/component design release experience.
• Proven track record in fluidic systems, electromechanical linkages or exterior hardware.
• Familiarity with APQP and PPAP workflows.
• Strong project management, proactive problem solving, and supplier negotiation under tight timelines.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, packaging, and production release of wiper/washer subsystems from concept to full volume production.
• Coordinate with BIW, EE, Software, and PDO interfaces for cross-functional integration.
• Act as single point of contact for external suppliers, monitoring progress and sign-offs.
• Develop and execute DVP&R and DFMEA to ensure performance and regulatory compliance.
• Manage engineering changes (ECN/ECR) and BOM to support launches.
• Provide on-site engineering support at plants during pilot builds and launches.
• Perform root-cause analysis on field data and drive cost-optimization or weight-reduction actions.

Skills

Project management

Problem solving

Supplier relationships

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

ABET-accredited discipline

Tools

NX

CATIA

Teamcenter

GIMS/ISS

AMPS sheets

Job description

Automotive Wiper & Washer System Design Release Engineer

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 Description

• The engineer is responsible for the design, development, validation, and production release of wiper mechanisms, blades, arms, washer reservoirs, pumps, hoses, and nozzles for global vehicle programs.
• Below is the standard layout of the job description, detailing the responsibilities, requirements, and key tools for this position.

Key Responsibilities

• Component Ownership: Lead the engineering design, development, packaging, and production release of wiper and washer subsystems from concept through full volume production.
• Cross-Functional Integration: Coordinate seamlessly with interfacing vehicle commodities, including Body-in-White (BIW), Electrical/Electronics (EE), Software, and Styling/Product Design Office (PDO).
• Supplier Management: Function as the single point of contact for external suppliers, managing their delivery timelines, engineering progress, and first-piece sign-offs.
• Quality & Validation: Build and execute the Design Verification Plan & Report (DVP&R), develop Design Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (DFMEA), and ensure the system meets performance, packaging, and regulatory requirements. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
• Change Management: Author, track, and validate engineering change notices (ECN/ECR) and manage the Bill of Materials (BOM)
• Launch Support: Provide on-site engineering support at manufacturing plants during pilot vehicle builds and production launches to resolve fit, finish, or functional performance issues
• Continuous Improvement: Perform root-cause analysis on field warranty data and implement cost-optimization or weight-reduction actions

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a closely related ABET-accredited discipline.
• Experience: Typically requires 3 to 5+ years of experience as a product, component, or design release engineer within the automotive industry.
• Domain Knowledge: Proven track record in developing fluidic systems, electromechanical linkages, or similar exterior hardware components.
• Quality Standards: Practical understanding of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) workflows.
• Soft Skills: Strong project management abilities, proactive problem-solving skills, and the capacity to negotiate complex supplier relationships under tight program timelines

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct product experience with wiper motor electronics, fluid dynamics (washer delivery), or glass packaging.
• Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience handling international vehicle program rollouts.

Core Systems & Technical Tools

• CAD Software: NX or CATIA for 3D modeling, packaging, and drawing generation.
• Product Lifecycle Management: Teamcenter for managing data structures, geometry releases, and engineering changes.
• Internal Tools: Client internal change management platforms, GIMS/ISS for issue tracking, and AMPS sheets for assembly plant documentation.

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.

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.

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