Product Development Engineer- Design & Release

Ford; Allen Park (MI); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Employee vehicle discount

Hybrid work arrangement

Diversity programs

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a Product Development Engineer to lead programs from concept to production launch, coordinating with suppliers, program managers, and cross-functional teams. The role requires strong engineering judgment and the ability to translate requirements into feasible accessory solutions, with a focus on safety and quality.

You will work in a hybrid environment with on-site facility involvement and engage with design, manufacturing, and base vehicle teams to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering required.
• Experience in product development, engineering design and release.
• Strong understanding of vehicle systems and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to lead projects with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• WERS experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead programs from concept to production launch, including vehicle plant installations.
• Coordinate discussions, design reviews, and status updates with leadership and teams.
• Set engineering priorities, track milestones, and ensure on-time launches.
• Provide technical direction and mentor new engineers.
• Ensure safety, regulatory, and quality requirements are met.
• Review supplier data, validate designs, and support accessory development.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Engineering judgment

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

CAD systems

WERS

Job description

In this position

Ford Customization (FC) develops, engineers, releases, validates, and launches a broad portfolio of accessories that complement Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Ford Licensed Accessories (FLA), part of the accessory group, develops products in partnership with suppliers and cross-functional Ford teams.

The Product Development Engineer (PDE) leads assigned programs from initial concept through production launch and serves as the primary engineering technical lead. The PDE works closely with suppliers, Program Managers, Product Planners, Manufacturing, Design, Base Vehicle Engineering, Quality, and Purchasing to ensure products meet applicable safety, regulatory, quality, functional, timing, and customer expectations. The position requires strong engineering judgment and the ability to evaluate requirements against applicable Ford vehicle requirements to establish realistic product acceptance criteria, build strong supplier relationships, provide technical direction, and resolve engineering issues to ensure successful launches.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

What you’ll do

• Lead and prioritize engineering activities for assigned programs from concept through production launch, including accessories installed at vehicle plants, modification centers, and dealer facilities.
• Lead new-product discussions, design and technical reviews, issue-resolution activities, and weekly engineering project/status meetings; communicate status, risks, actions, and timing to leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Establish engineering priorities, monitor milestones, and ensure deliverables—including WERS releases—are completed on schedule to support on-time launches at designated facilities.
• Provide technical guidance to new engineers and demonstrate the full range of PDE responsibilities.
• Follow engineering department processes for efficiency, quality, and consistency, and support continuous improvement through AI and new technologies.
• Partner with Program Managers and Product Planners to assess new product opportunities, engineering assumptions, and feasibility, and to support product-line planning.
• Support business case development and the CFT process with engineering assessments, technical data, cost considerations, timing, and feasibility input.
• Review supplier CAD data, designs, engineering assumptions, packaging studies, environmental considerations, and validation plans.
• Provide CAD and Technical information needed to suppliers to support accessory development.
• Review Product Development Letters (PDLs) and base vehicle changes to identify model-year impacts on existing or future accessories.
• Work with Base Vehicle Design and Release Engineers to understand vehicle changes and ensure accessory compatibility.
• Develop accessory designs directly with suppliers; validate engineering data, resolve technical issues, and confirm products meet established requirements.
• Ensure designs address applicable safety, regulatory, functional, quality, durability, EMC, and vehicle integration requirements.
• Establish and maintain effective supplier relationships, provide clear engineering direction and expectations, and ensure alignment with ESOW requirements.
• Monitor supplier engineering performance and ensure required deliverables are completed according to program timing and quality expectations.
• Evaluate accessory fit, function, appearance, installation, and overall performance; provide analytical feedback from vehicle fit-ups, plant and modification-center evaluations, and field/dealer activities and issue product evaluation and installation reports.
• Support prototype and production fit-ups by coordinating vehicles, parts, work orders, and required engineering activities.
• Coordinate vehicle-level testing and validation with suppliers and appropriate Ford organizations; review and approve engineering documentation and validation evidence supporting product release, including required approvals and engineering sign-offs. FESO.
• Review, validate and approve accessory installation instructions and related customer/service documentation.
• Ensure accessories are properly validated for each applicable model year, incorporating any vehicle changes into development and release activities.
• Review warranty data and field information to identify trends, recurring issues, and improvement opportunities; lead technical investigations and corrective actions for engineering, quality, fit, function, and launch issues.
• Maintain engineering records and documentation throughout the product development cycle.

Launch Support

• Coordinate modification-center trials and evaluate installation processes to identify and resolve potential launch concerns.

• Support launch events and provide timely engineering direction for issues arising at plants, modification centers, dealers, or in the field.

• Represent Engineering in cross-functional and supplier meetings with clear technical recommendations and decisions.

• Participate in program and engineering forums, including Program assumption, Program weekly PAT, CFT, change-control, program and plant launch meetings, AIMS, and weekly Engineering staff and design review meetings.

• Engage program leadership—including Directors, Chief Engineers, and Program Managers—on current and future products and technical concerns.

• Meet with customers, dealers, and suppliers to provide technical support on accessory use, operation, installation, and maintenance.

You’ll have

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Demonstrated experience in product development, engineering, design and release.
• Strong understanding of product development processes, engineering principles, vehicle systems, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to lead engineering projects and coordinate multiple programs, suppliers, and deliverables simultaneously.
• Strong technical problem-solving and analytical skills with sound engineering judgment.
• Ability to interpret engineering requirements, CAD data, technical documentation, test results, and vehicle-level information.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
• Preferred: experience with WERS, CAD systems, vehicle modification centers, supplier development, or automotive accessory development.

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!

Benefits

• 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 7 to salary grade 8 and ranges from $86,600-$166,200. Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

Visa sponsorship is not 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.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.