Product Development Engineer – Side Door Movable Glass Systems - Design and Release

Lincoln Motor Company; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 99,000 - 166,000; Full time

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a highly skilled Core Moveable Glass Systems Engineer to define and evolve the foundational engineering principles for our moveable glass systems. You will establish and maintain core system requirements and drive innovation for future vehicle programs.

You will collaborate with Design, Vehicle Engineering, Manufacturing and suppliers to ensure robust, scalable solutions for power windows and other glass features across multiple platforms, delivering best-in-class

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 2+ years in automotive product development focusing on system engineering and quality methodologies for moveable glass & closures.
• Proven understanding of quality tools and methodologies (DFMEA, DVP&R, 8D, RCA).
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, materials, and manufacturing for moveable glass.

Responsibilities

• Define, document, and maintain system-level requirements for moveable glass systems.
• Lead the development of DFMEAs and mitigation strategies.
• Create design rules, guidelines, and best practices for moveable glass systems.
• Research technologies, build roadmaps, and lead early-stage innovation projects.
• Define modular architectures and interfaces for cross-vehicle integration.
• Provide technical guidance to engineering teams and validate supplier roadmaps.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align foundational documents with stakeholder needs.
• Benchmark industry best practices and train teams on core documents.

Skills

Requirements management

DFMEA

DVP&R

Root Cause Analysis

Mechanical design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Engineering/Systems Engineering

Tools

DOORS

Jama Connect

PLM systems

Job description

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

Product Development uses design thinking & user experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that delight our customers. We bring innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life.We have opportunities around the world for you to contribute to advancements in autonomy, electrification, smart mobility technologies, and more!

In this position...

We are seeking a highly skilled and strategic Core Moveable Glass Systems Engineer to define and evolve the foundational engineering principles for our advanced moveable glass systems. In this critical role, you will be responsible for establishing and maintaining core system requirements, developing robust Design Failure Mode and Effects Analyses (DFMEAs), creating comprehensive design rules and guidelines, and driving innovation for future vehicle applications.

You will act as a subject matter expert, ensuring that our core technologies for power windows, and other dynamic glass features are robust, scalable, and prepared for seamless integration into all future vehicle programs. Your work will directly enable best-in-class performance, quality, and customer experience across our product portfolio.

What you'll do...

• Develop and Own Core System Requirements: Define, document, and maintain comprehensive system-level requirements and specifications for all core moveable glass systems, ensuring alignment with corporate standards, regulatory compliance, and long-term product strategy.

• Lead Quality DFMEA Development: Drive the creation and continuous improvement of foundational Quality Design Failure Mode and Effects Analyses (Q-DFMEAs) for core moveable glass systems, identifying potential failure modes and establishing robust mitigation strategies.

• Establish Design Rules and Guidelines: Develop, document, and propagate detailed design rules, best practices, and engineering guidelines for moveable glass systems to ensure consistency, quality, and manufacturability across all vehicle lines.

• Drive Technology Roadmapping & Innovation: Research and evaluate emerging technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes for moveable glass. Develop technology roadmaps and lead early-stage innovation projects to define next-generation system capabilities.

• System Architecture and Modularity: Define modular architectures and interface standards for core moveable glass systems to facilitate efficient integration and re-use across multiple vehicle platforms.

• Technical Expertise and Support: Provide expert technical guidance and support to application engineering teams, resolving complex issues and ensuring adherence to established foundational documents.

• Supplier Technical Strategy: Collaborate with strategic suppliers to influence their technology roadmaps, ensure their capabilities align with our core system requirements, and validate their adherence to our foundational quality and design standards.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Work closely with Research & Advanced Engineering, Design, Studio, Vehicle Engineering, Body Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality teams to ensure foundational documents meet all stakeholder needs and enable seamless future product development.

• Benchmarking and Best Practices: Conduct in-depth benchmarking of competitor systems and industry best practices to continuously improve our core specifications and design methodologies.

• Documentation and Training: Create and deliver training materials and presentations on core system requirements, DFMEAs, and design rules to educate engineering teams across the organization.

You'll have...

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related engineering field.

• Minimum of 2+ years of experience in automotive product development, with a strong focus on system engineering, requirements management, and/or quality methodologies for complex systems focused on moveable glass & closures.

• Proven understanding of quality tools and methodologies (e.g., DFMEA, DVP&R, 8D, Root Cause Analysis).

• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, material selection, and manufacturing processes relevant to moveable glass (e.g., stamping, injection molding, extrusion, glass forming).

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills with an emphasis on foundational system definition.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts clearly and concisely.

Even better, if you have …

Preferred

• Master's degree in Engineering or Systems Engineering.

• Direct experience with moveable glass systems (e.g., sunroofs, power windows) at a systems or component level.

• Experience with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama Connect) and PLM systems.

• Familiarity with functional safety (ISO 26262) and cybersecurity principles as they apply to vehicle systems.

• Knowledge of global automotive regulations and industry standards impacting glass systems.

• Experience in developing and implementing engineering standards or design handbooks.

• Demonstrated ability to drive innovation and influence long-term technical strategy.

• Strong collaborative skills, with experience working in a highly matrixed organization.

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 8 and ranges from $99,100-$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.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/fordcareers.co/GSR__;!!N_LtwI-RPugbI9wg0dJn!A1R1Jf97ca_RFoyyHA0KP44kqtnu1uPjjINMD4iU2wxUsUqspr_VW2Z0rpyB2K102CQCoMH3h6H1Xrzs0g$)

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. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.

#LI-Hybrid

#VehicleHardwareEngineering

#LI-JT1