Engineering Group - Design Release Engineering

General Motors LLC; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors LLC is seeking a Senior Design Release Engineer to lead the design, engineering, integration, release, and lifecycle management of airbag module and seat belt CCC hardware across vehicle programs. This role requires strong technical judgment, cross functional leadership, and the ability to deliver safety critical components from development through production and field issue resolution.

The candidate will lead airbag module, steering wheel and seat belt hardware development, guide

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Materials, or related engineering.
• Six or more years of DRE or equivalent experience in full cycle product development, including safety critical components.
• Working knowledge of airbag modules, airbag inflators, seat belts, steering wheels, or related vehicle safety hardware.
• Strong understanding of engineering release, validation, change management, supplier quality, PPAP, and vehicle program processes.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve complex technical problems using physics based analysis, test data, failure evidence, and structured root cause methods.
• Ability to communicate technical issues, risks, and recommendations clearly to engineering teams, suppliers, cross functional partners, and leadership.
• Ability to make sound technical decisions in ambiguous environments and independently drive issues to closure.
• Experience working with global OEM, supplier, manufacturing, validation, and program teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead airbag module and seat belt hardware development and integration with cross‑functional teams across Safety Performance, Vehicle Architecture, Seats, Chassis, Instrument Panels, Body Structures, Interior Trim, Electrical, Manufacturing, Validation, and program teams.
• Provide technical guidance for ongoing safety field investigations, product remediations and open field actions from interior SMT execution.
• Drive technical decisions using engineering analysis, test data, failure evidence, and structured problem solving while managing safety, quality, timing, cost, and implementation risk.
• Lead the PDT and supplier technical activities to meet engineering, release, validation, sourcing, build, and launch deliverables.
• Execute Quality Chain elements, DFMEA, interface requirements, design reviews, validation plans, engineering changes, and program milestones.
• Manage production releases, component configuration, PPAP readiness, validation evidence, and product traceability.
• Apply robust engineering tools, including DFSS and structured problem solving, to improve performance, quality, cost, mass, complexity, and manufacturability.

Skills

DRE experience

Safety critical

Cross-functional leadership

Root cause analysis

Release process knowledge

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Job Description

The Senior Design Release Engineer (DRE) leads the design, engineering, integration, release, and lifecycle management of airbag module and seat belt Corporate Common Components (CCC) hardware across vehicle programs. This role requires strong technical judgment, cross functional leadership, and the ability to deliver robust safety critical components from early development through production and field issue resolution.

Subsystem Leadership & Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Lead airbag module, steering wheel and seat belt hardware development and integration with Safety Performance, Vehicle Architecture, Seats, Chassis, Instrument Panels, Body Structures, Interior Trim, Electrical, Manufacturing, Validation, and program teams.
• Provide technical guidance for ongoing safety field investigations, product remediations and open field actions from interior SMT execution.
• Lead for airbag module and inflator lot acceptance testing (LAT) non‑conformance reports with internal and external partners.
• Balance occupant protection requirements, component reuse strategy, manufacturing constraints, cost, mass, timing, quality, and program risk.
• Guide strategy, interface alignment, and technical execution across vehicle programs and suppliers.
• Communicate technical status, risks, recommendations, and recovery plans across internal and external partners.

Technical Ownership

• Provide technical leadership in airbag module and seat belt design, integration, release, validation, and best practice applications for the CCC components.
• Apply knowledge of inflators, cushions, housings, deployment doors, retractors, pretensioners, load limiters, buckles, latch plates, webbing, anchors, guides, sensors, and electrical interfaces.
• Translate vehicle and system level occupant protection needs into component requirements and design controls.
• Drive technical decisions using engineering analysis, test data, failure evidence, and structured problem solving while managing safety, quality, timing, cost, and implementation risk.

Product Development Team Leadership

• Lead the PDT and supplier technical activities to meet engineering, release, validation, sourcing, build, and launch deliverables.
• Execute Quality Chain elements, DFMEA, interface requirements, design reviews, validation plans, engineering changes, and program milestones.
• Manage production releases, component configuration, PPAP readiness, validation evidence, and product traceability.
• Apply robust engineering tools, including DFSS and structured problem solving, to improve performance, quality, cost, mass, complexity, and manufacturability.

Issue Resolution & Lifecycle Management

• Lead technical problem solving for development, validation, manufacturing, supplier, warranty, and field issues.
• Determine root cause, containment, read across, corrective action, and documented closure for safety critical component concerns.
• Support Safety Field Investigations and Lot Acceptance Testing nonconformance reviews by providing component expertise and coordinating appropriate engineering resources.
• Track investigation status, risks, ownership, timing, required decisions, remediation actions, and closure deliverables.

Your Skills and Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Materials, or a related engineering discipline.
• Six or more years of DRE or equivalent experience in full cycle product development, including safety critical components.
• Working knowledge of airbag modules, airbag inflators, seat belts, steering wheels, or related vehicle safety hardware.
• Strong understanding of engineering release, validation, change management, supplier quality, PPAP, and vehicle program processes.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve complex technical problems using physics based analysis, test data, failure evidence, and structured root cause methods.
• Ability to communicate technical issues, risks, and recommendations clearly to engineering teams, suppliers, cross functional partners, and leadership.
• Ability to make sound technical decisions in ambiguous environments and independently drive issues to closure.
• Experience working with global OEM, supplier, manufacturing, validation, and program teams.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Master of Science or other advanced engineering degree.
• DFSS Black Belt certification or Red X experience.
• Direct experience with airbag modules, seat belt systems, pyrotechnic devices, occupant kinematics, or safety field investigations.
• Experience developing DFMEAs, validation plans, interface requirements, design controls, and safety critical product controls.

Immigration Sponsorship

GM does not provide immigration‑related sponsorship for this role.

Location and Travel

This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}. The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role. This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

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