Rear Closures Design & Release Engineer (Hybrid)

Actalent; United States; Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Rear Closures D&R Engineer in Dearborn, MI, on a contract basis. The role focuses on defining engineering requirements, strategies, and robust documentation for moving rear closures such as liftgates and cargo doors.

You will apply physics-based methods, perform analyses, and drive system integration across sheet metal structures, hinges, latches, and mechanisms. You will collaborate with internal and external customers to meet performance targets, develop core DVPR and

Responsibilities

• Develop and release technical requirements and strategies for moving rear closures, including liftgates, tailgates, cargo doors, swing gates, and similar systems.
• Act as a core engineering subject matter expert for rear closures, providing guidance on design, performance, and system integration.
• Work closely with internal and external customers to define engineering-related requirements that align with customer performance expectations.
• Create and maintain core engineering documentation, including DVPR, technical requirements, FMA, and technical strategy documents.
• Lead the design and development of sheet metal structures, hinges, latches, mechanisms, and associated system integration for rear closure systems.
• Develop technical specifications and requirements, drafting clear and accurate documentation from scratch using physics-based approaches and customer use cases.
• Perform product engineering activities from early concept development through launch, ensuring designs meet functional, durability, and quality targets.
• Utilize 3D modeling tools to open, view, measure, and section parts and assemblies, and create basic 3D shapes to support design studies.
• Conduct competitive benchmarking to collect data such as mass, size, and features, and compare these findings with existing designs to inform improvements.
• Gather and interpret Voice of the Customer (VOC) data to translate customer needs into measurable technical requirements.
• Apply mechanical engineering principles, including statics and dynamics, to analyze mechanisms and structures and develop Free Body Diagrams for moving systems.
• Support system engineering disciplines and Design for Manufacturing principles to proactively identify and solve issues in rear closure systems.
• Contribute to solving current model quality issues and implement corrective actions to improve performance and reliability.
• Collaborate on the development of control plans, DFMEA, dimensional variation analysis, and other quality and robustness tools.
• Use CATIA/3DX and Teamcenter Engineering to support design, digital mock-up, and system integration activities, including simple parts, sections, and studies.
• Prepare and deliver technical reports, presentations, and documentation using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Participate in engineering reviews, design validations, and cross-functional meetings to ensure alignment on technical requirements and strategies.
• Support continuous improvement of rear closure systems by leveraging benchmarking, craftsmanship expectations, and future technology trends.

Job description

Actalent is seeking a Rear Closures D&R Engineer in Dearborn, MI, on a contract basis. The role focuses on defining engineering requirements, strategies, and robust documentation for moving rear closures such as liftgates and cargo doors.

You will apply physics-based methods, perform analyses, and drive system integration across sheet metal structures, hinges, latches, and mechanisms. You will collaborate with internal and external customers to meet performance targets, develop core DVPR and