DRE – Wheels and Tires Mid Level

SEGULA Technologies; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SEGULA Technologies in Auburn Hills, MI is seeking a Design Release Engineer to support the design, development, validation, and release of automotive wheel systems, including aluminum and steel wheels, fasteners, and wheel-trim components.

You will collaborate with Product Design Studio, manufacturing plants, and Tier-1 suppliers to meet styling, structural durability, quality, and program timing targets while ensuring compliance with internal criteria and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or related discipline.
• 2–5 years automotive product engineering, design, validation, or manufacturing experience.
• Solid understanding of mechanical design, materials, manufacturing methods, and tolerancing.
• Proficiency in interpreting CAD models, drawings, specs and test reports.
• Exposure to DFMEA, DVP&R, APQP, PPAP or root-cause analysis processes.
• Hands-on experience with CATIA V5, Siemens NX, or Teamcenter PLM.

Responsibilities

• Translate styling concepts into manufacturable wheel designs.
• Release wheels, fasteners, and wheel-trim components in PLM.
• Conduct packaging, vehicle integration, clearance checks, and fit-and-finish reviews.
• Track supplier milestones across design, tooling, testing, and cost.
• Support wheel testing for durability and environmental resistance.
• Participate in root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Assist prototype builds, pilot runs, and production launches.
• Ensure designs meet internal criteria and safety standards.

Skills

CAD

Teamcenter PLM

CATIA V5

Siemens NX

DFMEA

DVP&R

APQP/PPAP

Root-cause analysis

Mechanical design

Education

Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CATIA V5

Siemens NX

Teamcenter PLM

Job description

We are seeking a Design Release Engineer to support the design, development, validation, and release of automotive wheel systems. This role covers aluminum wheels, steel wheels, wheel bolts/fasteners, center caps, and decorative wheel-trim components. The engineer will collaborate with Product Design Studio, manufacturing plants, and Tier-1 suppliers to achieve styling, structural durability, quality, and program timing targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Styling Realization: Coordinate with the Product Design Studio to translate early styling concepts into manufacturable, production-ready wheel designs.
• Component Release: Support the engineering release and lifecycle management of wheels, fasteners, and wheel-trim components in Teamcenter PLM.
• Packaging & Fit: Conduct component packaging, vehicle integration, clearance checks, and fit-and-finish reviews.
• Supplier Management: Track Tier-1 supplier milestones across design, tooling, testing, quality, unit cost, and delivery.
• Validation & Testing: Support wheel testing for radial fatigue, cornering fatigue, impact resistance, corrosion, and environmental durability.
• Quality & Root Cause: Participate in root-cause analysis and corrective actions for styling, lab testing, manufacturing, or field warranty issues.
• Build & Launch Support: Support prototype vehicle builds, pilot builds, assembly plant trial runs, and production launches.
• Compliance: Ensure designs satisfy all internal engineering criteria and international safety/regulatory standards.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience: 2-5 years of automotive product engineering, design, validation, or manufacturing experience.
• Design Fundamentals: Solid understanding of mechanical design, engineering materials, manufacturing methods, and dimensional tolerancing.
• CAD & Technical Documentation: Proficiency in interpreting CAD models, engineering drawings, specifications, and test reports.
• Tools Knowledge: Exposure to DFMEA, DVP&R, APQP, PPAP, or structured root-cause analysis processes.
• Software: Hands-on project or professional experience with CATIA V5, Siemens NX, or Teamcenter PLM.

Preferred Qualifications

• Automotive internship, co-op, or university design team (e.g., "Formula SAE") experience.
• Exposure to aluminum casting, steel forming, machining, painting, electroplating, or plastic injection molding.
• Familiarity with fatigue, impact, corrosion, and dimensional validation testing for chassis/exterior components.

SEGULA Technologies is a global engineering group, boosting the competitiveness of all major industrial sectors: automotive, aerospace, energy, rail, naval, life sciences, and telecoms. With a presence in more than 30 countries and 140 locations worldwide, the Group prioritizes close relationships with its clients, driven by the expertise of its 15,000 employees. As a leading engineering player putting innovation at the heart of its strategy, SEGULA Technologies manages large-scale projects, ranging from initial studies to industrialization and production. SEGULA TECHNOLOGIES is dedicated to gender balance and diversity, recognizing and recruiting talent of all backgrounds.