Process Engineer

Socket.dev; North Carolina; On-site; USD 72,000 - 162,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Parental leave

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Holidays

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a plant engineering leader to oversee assembly integrity across wheel alignment and headlight systems. You will analyze complex torque and joint issues, establish tool requirements, and drive world-class precision on the assembly line.

You’ll lead cross-functional projects, apply DOE and root-cause methodologies, and collaborate with maintenance and production to improve flow, quality, and equipment availability. A Bachelor's in engineering is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering required.
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering projects with a self-directed mindset.
• Strong knowledge of vehicle assembly tooling and torque systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant engineering for Wheel Alignment and Headlight Aim (WAHA).
• Analyze alignment control charts and process data to drive improvements.
• Lead issue resolution and continuous improvement for alignment lanes.
• Review audit data daily to improve engineering capability across lanes.
• Apply DOE and root-cause methods to design and improve processes and equipment.
• Develop action plans to investigate, prioritize, and resolve quality concerns.
• Collaborate with maintenance, engineering, and production to improve flow and availability.
• Conduct root cause analyses of out-of-spec conditions.
• Set calibration standards and controls for alignment equipment.
• Own engineering documentation and change control for offsets.

Skills

Leadership

Technical fluency

Communication

Problem-solving

Manufacturing mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Power tools knowledge

Vehicle alignment machines

Minitab

MATLAB

PFMEA

Job description

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

As part of our Manufacturing team, you'll help build the world-class, state-of-the-art smart vehicles we're known for. In our plants around the world, we're constantly developing new technologies and processes to further increase our efficiency. You'll get the satisfaction of engineering great products people use and love.

In this position...

You will serve as the plant's engineering authority on assembly integrity. You will apply engineering principles to the physics of joints, analyze complex torque and joint problems, and establish local plant power tool requirements and specifications to ensure our assembly line operates with world-class precision.

What you'll do...

• Serve as plant engineering lead for Wheel Alignment and Headlight Aim (WAHA)
• Apply engineering analysis to alignment control charts and statistical process data
• Lead engineering-driven issue resolution and continuous improvement for Toe-in, Clear Vision, Caster/Camber and Headlight Aim
• Analyze audit data daily to drive engineering capability improvements across all alignment lanes
• Apply engineering principles and analytical techniques (DOE, root cause methodologies) to design, establish, and continuously improve manufacturing processes and equipment
• Develop engineering action plans to investigate, prioritize, and resolve quality concerns, and validate corrective actions
• Partner with maintenance, engineering, and production teams to engineer improvements in flow, quality, and availability of all alignment lanes
• Conduct root cause engineering analysis of out-of-spec and out-of-control conditions
• Establish calibration engineering standards and specifications for alignment equipment
• Own engineering documentation and change control for all equipment offsets

You’ll have...

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or Manufacturing Engineering
• The Leadership Edge: Proven ability to lead cross-functional engineering projects with a self-directed, "take-charge" mentality, as well as the ability to flex and rotate hours as needed
• Technical Fluency: Fundamental engineering understanding of sophisticated vehicle assembly tooling and fastening/torque systems
• Communication Mastery: Excellent oral and written skills, with the ability to translate technical/engineering data into actionable insights for diverse audiences
• Problem-Solving Grit: Applied experience with structured root cause methodologies (e.g., Kepner-Tregoe, Shainin Red X, or equivalent), covering the full lifecycle of a concern — interim containment, root cause determination, and validated permanent corrective action
• A Manufacturing Mindset: A distinct desire to thrive in a fast-paced, challenging manufacturing environment, with the confidence to guide and coordinate with hourly personnel and cross-functional teams

Even better, you may have...

• Experience implementing power tool and fastening processes
• Deep technical experience with vehicle alignment machines
• A track record of improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing defects (e.g., torque/fastening-related quality escapes)
• Experience with statistical analysis tools (Minitab, MATLAB) and PFMEA
• Experience supporting new vehicle program launches

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work-life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a salary grade 6 and ranges from $72,480-121,440.

This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $84,480-141,360.

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $96,720-162,120.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR

Visa sponsorship may be available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

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