Mechanical Design Engineer

Blue Chip Talent; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Chip Talent, in partnership with an automotive manufacturing organization, is seeking a Mechanical/Structural Automotive Accessory Engineer to design, develop, and integrate rugged exterior components for next-generation vehicles. The role emphasizes heavy-duty bolt-on assemblies, crash performance, and vehicle packaging.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with automotive chassis structures, metal fabrication, and CAE/FEA validation, from concept through production launch, with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 5+ years of mechanical or structural product development experience in automotive, chassis, body structures, exterior accessories, or motorsports applications
• Hands-on experience designing and developing structural metal components, including beams, brackets, weldments, reinforcements, and bolt-on assemblies
• Knowledge of metal manufacturing processes, including stamping, forming, extrusion, welding, casting, and mechanical fastening
• Understanding of structural load paths, crash-energy management, strength, stiffness, durability, and vehicle impact requirements
• Experience engineering structural joints, bolted connections, metal-to-metal interfaces, and components integrated with vehicle frames or body structures
• Proficiency with 3D CAD modeling, mechanical component design, material selection, structural sizing, and manufacturing feasibility assessments
• Working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, corrosion protection, and automotive component validation methodologies
• Experience developing tow hitches, bumper beams, crash structures, skid plates, recovery systems, or off-road vehicle accessories
• Automotive chassis, body-in-white, ladder-frame, or motorsports/NASCAR structural engineering experience
• Experience with CATIA V5/V6 for automotive component design and vehicle packaging
• Familiarity with CAE/FEA results for structural strength, fatigue, crash performance, and durability analysis
• Experience with DFMEA, DVP&R, DFM/DFA, APQP, PPAP, and automotive product development processes
• Knowledge of steel and aluminum structural design, material gauge selection, weld design, and corrosion-resistant coatings
• Experience supporting prototype fabrication, supplier development, tooling, vehicle builds, and production launch
• Experience developing components for towing, off-road durability, recovery loads, or demanding vehicle operating conditions

Responsibilities

• Design and develop structural exterior accessories, including tow hitches, bumper beams, brackets, reinforcements, skid plates, and other heavy-duty bolt-on components
• Engineer metal structural assemblies using stampings, extrusions, castings, weldments, and mechanically fastened components
• Develop structural concepts, material specifications, component sizing, attachment strategies, and vehicle integration solutions
• Evaluate crash-energy management, structural load paths, impact performance, durability, and metal-to-metal interfaces
• Create and review 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, GD&&T, and component specifications to support product development
• Collaborate with chassis, body structures, and CAE engineering teams to validate structural performance and vehicle integration
• Partner with suppliers to evaluate manufacturing feasibility, welding processes, corrosion protection, tooling, and component quality
• Support prototype builds, structural testing, design validation, root-cause analysis, and production launch activities

Job description

Blue Chip Talent, in partnership with an automotive manufacturing organization, is seeking a skilled Mechanical/Structural Automotive Accessory Engineer. This role is responsible for the design, development, and integration of structural metal components and rugged exterior accessories for next-generation vehicles. The ideal candidate brings hands‑on experience with automotive chassis structures, metal fabrication, and structural component development, from initial concept through production launch.

Travel: 5-25% (Domestic and Potential International Travel)

Job Duties:

• Design and develop structural exterior accessories, including tow hitches, bumper beams, brackets, reinforcements, skid plates, and other heavy‑duty bolt‑on components
• Engineer metal structural assemblies using stampings, extrusions, castings, weldments, and mechanically fastened components
• Develop structural concepts, material specifications, component sizing, attachment strategies, and vehicle integration solutions
• Evaluate crash‑energy management, structural load paths, impact performance, durability, and metal‑to‑metal interfaces
• Create and review 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, GD&T, and component specifications to support product development
• Collaborate with chassis, body structures, and CAE engineering teams to validate structural performance and vehicle integration
• Partner with suppliers to evaluate manufacturing feasibility, welding processes, corrosion protection, tooling, and component quality
• Support prototype builds, structural testing, design validation, root‑cause analysis, and production launch activities

Skills & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 5+ years of mechanical or structural product development experience in automotive, chassis, body structures, exterior accessories, or motorsports applications
• Hands‑on experience designing and developing structural metal components, including beams, brackets, weldments, reinforcements, and bolt‑on assemblies
• Knowledge of metal manufacturing processes, including stamping, forming, extrusion, welding, casting, and mechanical fastening
• Understanding of structural load paths, crash‑energy management, strength, stiffness, durability, and vehicle impact requirements
• Experience engineering structural joints, bolted connections, metal‑to‑metal interfaces, and components integrated with vehicle frames or body structures
• Proficiency with 3D CAD modeling, mechanical component design, material selection, structural sizing, and manufacturing feasibility assessments
• Working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, corrosion protection, and automotive component validation methodologies
• Experience developing tow hitches, bumper beams, crash structures, skid plates, recovery systems, or off‑road vehicle accessories
• Automotive chassis, body‑in‑white, ladder‑frame, or motorsports/NASCAR structural engineering experience
• Experience with CATIA V5/V6 for automotive component design and vehicle packaging
• Familiarity with CAE/FEA results for structural strength, fatigue, crash performance, and durability analysis
• Experience with DFMEA, DVP&R, DFM/DFA, APQP, PPAP, and automotive product development processes
• Knowledge of steel and aluminum structural design, material gauge selection, weld design, and corrosion‑resistant coatings
• Experience supporting prototype fabrication, supplier development, tooling, vehicle builds, and production launch
• Experience developing components for towing, off‑road durability, recovery loads, or demanding vehicle operating conditions

We offer industry-leading benefits options and are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) that values merit‑based recruitment centered around technical ability, skillset, and alignment with our employing partners.