Prototype & Ride Development Engineer

MAT Holdings, Inc.; Farmington Hills (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

MAT Holdings, Inc. — Ride Control division seeks an experienced engineer to lead ride and handling development for passive damper systems across OEM platforms. You will coordinate prototype activity, validate dampers, and work with cross-functional teams to ensure performance and reliability in automotive applications.

Requires a bachelor’s in engineering, 5+ years in automotive dampers, and travel up to 20%. Spanish language skills preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in the automotive industry, preferably with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplier.
• Hands-on experience with suspension systems, ride control, vehicle dynamics, and product development.
• Spanish language proficiency is preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• Lead vehicle ride and handling development, objective and subjective evaluations, and passive damper tuning activities.
• Support the design, specification, and integration of passive dampers into OEM vehicle platforms.
• Coordinate, review, prioritize, and track prototype requests through the Technical Center to support engineering, customer, and program timing requirements.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, suppliers, quality, and prototype build teams to resolve technical issues and support prototype builds.
• Develop and execute proving ground, laboratory, and public road validation plans.
• Analyze vehicle dynamics, ride, handling, and durability data to optimize damper valving and suspension performance.
• Support APQP, DFMEA, DV/PV testing, engineering changes, launch readiness, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Teamwork

Problem solving

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Join our vertically integrated team at MAT Holdings, Inc., a leading global manufacturer with a 40-year history. We're proud to provide employment opportunities for more than 14,000 employees across 12 countries. Headquartered in Long Grove, Illinois, we have over 40 factories on three continents, including 2.1 million square feet of U.S. distribution and manufacturing space.

You will find our products in home improvement centers, big box retailers, hardware stores and automotive chains. They're in the cars you drive, the trailers you tow, and the heavy‑duty machinery you operate.

MAT can maintain consistent expertise and solutions across the entire supply chain. We’re experts in engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance, logistics and distribution, marketing, design, and customer service — we don't just make it happen, we ensure it happens with excellence.

Ride Control, LLC, a division of MAT Holdings, Inc., designs, manufactures and distributes suspension products for automotive, commercial vehicle, and specialty vehicle OEMs and aftermarkets. The company manufactures and sells Gabriel shocks and struts. The company originated the world’s first automotive shock absorber and continues today to be a leader in the design, engineering, development, and production of shock absorbers in North America. Ride Control currently employs more than 1,300 salaried and hourly employees at several locations in the US and Mexico. The company has manufacturing facilities in Chickasha, Oklahoma and Queretaro Mexico. Revenues for the company are approximately $180MM: For more information please visit www.gabriel.com, and www.matholdingsinc.com.

We’re more than manufacturing, we’re MAT.

• MAT Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries offer a complete benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance after 60 days of employment
• Paid Time Off (PTO), including paid vacation, sick days, and paid holidays
• 401k Retirement Plan + Company Match
• Career Advancement Program, training and development
• Wellness Programs, including fitness reimbursements and mental health support
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Voluntary Life / AD&D , Employer Provided Life/AD&D
• and More

Join our vertically integrated team at MAT Holdings, Inc., a leading global manufacturer with a 40-year history. We're proud to provide employment opportunities for more than 14,000 employees across 12 countries. Headquartered in Long Grove, Illinois, we have over 40 factories on three continents, including 2.1 million square feet of U.S. distribution and manufacturing space.

You will find our products in home improvement centers, big box retailers, hardware stores and automotive chains. They're in the cars you drive, the trailers you tow, and the heavy‑duty machinery you operate.

MAT can maintain consistent expertise and solutions across the entire supply chain. We’re experts in engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance, logistics and distribution, marketing, design, and customer service — we don't just make it happen, we ensure it happens with excellence.

Ride Control, LLC, a division of MAT Holdings, Inc., designs, manufactures and distributes suspension products for automotive, commercial vehicle, and specialty vehicle OEMs and aftermarkets. The company manufactures and sells Gabriel shocks and struts. The company originated the world’s first automotive shock absorber and continues today to be a leader in the design, engineering, development, and production of shock absorbers in North America. Ride Control currently employs more than 1,300 salaried and hourly employees at several locations in the US and Mexico. The company has manufacturing facilities in Chickasha, Oklahoma and Queretaro Mexico. Revenues for the company are approximately $180MM: For more information please visit www.gabriel.com, and www.matholdingsinc.com.

We’re more than manufacturing, we’re MAT.

• MAT Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries offer a complete benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance after 60 days of employment
• Paid Time Off (PTO), including paid vacation, sick days, and paid holidays
• 401k Retirement Plan + Company Match
• Career Advancement Program, training and development
• Wellness Programs, including fitness reimbursements and mental health support
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Voluntary Life / AD&D , Employer Provided Life/AD&D
• and More

Benefits

• MAT Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries offer a complete benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance after 60 days of employment
• Paid Time Off (PTO), including paid vacation, sick days, and paid holidays
• 401k Retirement Plan + Company Match
• Career Advancement Program, training and development
• Wellness Programs, including fitness reimbursements and mental health support
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Voluntary Life / AD&D , Employer Provided Life/AD&D
• and More

Job Description

The position is responsible for the development, tuning, validation, and integration of passive damper systems to achieve ride, handling, durability, and customer performance objectives. Coordinates prototype activities through the technical center and supports product development from concept through launch.

Principle Responsibilities

• Lead vehicle ride and handling development, objective and subjective evaluations, and passive damper tuning activities.
• Support the design, specification, and integration of passive dampers into OEM vehicle platforms.
• Coordinate, review, prioritize, and track prototype requests through the Technical Center to support engineering, customer, and program timing requirements.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, suppliers, quality, and prototype build teams to resolve technical issues and support prototype builds.
• Develop and execute proving ground, laboratory, and public road validation plans.
• Analyze vehicle dynamics, ride, handling, and durability data to optimize damper valving and suspension performance.
• Support APQP, DFMEA, DV/PV testing, engineering changes, launch readiness, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

Soft Competencies

• Ability to implement plans; communicates changes effectively; builds commitments and overcomes resistance
• Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness and look for ways to improve and promote quality
• Proven cost consciousness working within approved budget and implementing cost saving measures
• Capable of developing strategies to achieve organizational goals and adapting strategies to meet changing conditions
• Problem solving and analyses, careful and systematic evaluation of information, possible alternatives and consequences
• Presentation skills, the ability to communicate to an audience in a formal setting
• Strong commitment to providing world‑class customer service, anticipating customer needs and designing, promoting or supporting the delivery of products and services that exceed their expectations
• A demonstrated ability to work well in a team environment, to take initiative, to work independently of day‑to‑day supervision, and to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization
• Thinks conceptually and intuitively, linking problems and symptoms to identify underlying issues and root causes
• Makes sound decisions in a timely and confident manner
• Ability to influence and shape the decisions of others and to work through issues or conflicts to create
• Excellent leadership skills including project planning and the ability to adopt new technologies to managers, employees and other logistics and materials professionals

Hard Competencies:

• This position requires IATF and other designated training.
• Experience in suspension systems, ride control, vehicle dynamics, and product development
• Experience with vehicle testing ,data acquisition, and performance analysis

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the automotive industry, preferably with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplier.
• Hands‑on experience with both disc coil valve and deflected disc valve suspension technologies.
• Strong understanding of shock absorber design, performance tuning, validation, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong automotive business acumen and experience operating within a Tier 1 supplier environment.
• Spanish language proficiency is preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.