Door Latch Design & Release Engineer

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

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a Design Release Engineer to manage components from cradle to grave, spanning concept development, supplier coordination, validation, and final plant launch.

You will own exterior door latching systems, coordinate with Vehicle Engineering, Procurement, Quality, and tier-1 suppliers; perform DFMEAs and DVP&Rs; work with NX or CATIA V5, and provide launch support at manufacturing plants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• 3–5+ years automotive product engineering experience.
• Experience with vehicle closures, latches, magnets, or soft‑close mechanisms preferred.
• Familiarity with APQP, PPAP, GD&T, injection molding, or mechanism dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Lead the complete technical design, development, packaging, and release of exterior door latching systems, cinch mechanisms, or handles.
• Interface with Vehicle Engineering, Procurement, Quality, Assembly Plants, and tier‑1 suppliers.
• Build and execute DFMEAs and DVP&Rs to resolve NVH, water‑sealing, or functional issues.
• Review and package components within the vehicle environment using CAD tools like NX or CATIA V5.
• Drive root‑cause analysis investigations and provide launch support at manufacturing plants.

Skills

Automotive engineering

Vehicle closures

Quality & validation

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Electrical Eng

Tools

NX

CATIA V5

Job description

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company that provides solutions for engineering, technology, and product development projects. For decades, we’ve been helping our clients develop products that are changing the world, whether that’s by shaping the future of space exploration, saving lives with medical devices that set a new standard of care, or creating the fully autonomous electric taxi of tomorrow. Our team of more than 600 people works across industries including aerospace, medical devices and life sciences, unmanned systems and robotics, automotive OEM and tier 1 suppliers, commercial vehicle, electric vehicles, rail, and more. Our offices across the US have different industry focuses and engage with our clients in different ways, ranging from working on‑site at client facilities to performing product development at our delivery centers.

ALTEN Group, our parent company, has been a leader in engineering and information technology for more than 30 years. ALTEN Group operates in 30 countries across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and employs more than 36,000 people, 88% of whom are engineers. The company covers the whole development cycle and offers a choice of service levels, from technology consulting to complete project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you join a group of people passionate about collaborating to solve some of the world’s most technical engineering challenges. Our success is tied to taking care of our employees by building relationships and providing opportunities for mentorship and career growth. We offer comprehensive benefits for all full‑time employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) plan with employer matching; paid time off (PTO); paid parental leave; and mentorship to help you take your career to the next level. You don’t have to take our word for it that we are a great place to work—we were named on the 2023 Top Workplaces list thanks to feedback from our proud employees.

Job Description:

A Design Release Engineer (DRE) in this group manages components "from cradle to grave"—spanning initial concept development, supplier coordination, physical validation, and final manufacturing plant launch.

Key Responsibilities:

• Component Ownership: Lead the complete technical design, development, packaging, and release of exterior door latching systems, cinch mechanisms, or handles.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Interface directly with Vehicle Engineering, Procurement, Quality, Assembly Plants, and external tier‑1 suppliers.
• Quality & Validation: Build and execute DFMEAs (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and DVP&Rs (Design Verification Plan and Report) to resolve NVH, water‑sealing, or functional robustness issues.
• Data & Tool Management: Review and package components within the vehicle environment using CAD tools like NX or CATIA V5.
• Production Support: Drive root‑cause analysis investigations (5‑Why, Red X) and provide launch support directly at manufacturing assembly plants.

Core Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a highly relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience: Typically requires 3 to 5+ years of automotive product engineering experience. Specific exposure to vehicle closures, latches, magnets, complex plastic assemblies, or soft‑close mechanisms is heavily preferred.
• Technical Skills: Familiarity with automotive production launch cycles (APQP, PPAP), GD&T, injection molding, or mechanism dynamics.

ALTEN Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our Policy is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status.