Reliability and Robustness Technical Specialist Steering and Suspension

Ford; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Parental leave

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Paid time off for community service

Holiday pay

Employee resource groups

Time-off purchase

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a Technical Expert in Vehicle Hardware Engineering to deliver best-in-class reliability for suspension and steering systems. You will drive HTIS-focused stress factors, lead design reviews, and liaise with global teams to ensure rigorous test methods and specifications.

The role requires a BS in Engineering with 10+ years in automotive suspension, strong leadership, and the ability to mentor engineers worldwide.

Qualifications

• Requires a BS in Engineering and 10+ years in automotive steering and suspension.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential.
• Experience with DFMEA/PFMEA and control plans is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead design reviews for System/Subsystem/Component.
• Own problem-solving for Launch, Recall, Quality issues.
• Coach and mentor Suspension D&R engineers across regions.
• Apply CAE modelling to improve quality and reduce cost.

Skills

Leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

BS-Engineering

MS-Engineering

Tools

CAE tools

Six Sigma

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.

At Ford, the Vehicle Hardware Engineering teams are using Design Thinking & User Experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that will delight our customers. Our employees are laser-focused on bringing innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life. From autonomy and electrification to smart mobility technologies, our teams around the world are working together with excitement to make smart vehicles for a smart world.

This is a Technical Expert position focused on delivery of Best-In-World reliability with emphasis on high time in service. Focus will be on key stress factors driving high time in service performance and driving those factors into component and system test regiment.

In this position

• Drive Suspension and Steering to Best-in-World Quality.
• Key Focus on delivering High Time in Service Reliability.
• Be the pre-eminent expert on how Suspension and Steering systems and components are failing at High Time in Service.
• Drive the implementation of reliability growth methodology for the steering and suspension teams.
• Determine key stress factors that govern high time in service failures.
• Develop new methods to gather information on Post Warranty failures … Dealer and fleet relationships, Supplier Part Sales, Social Media, etc.
• Drive key stress factors into specifications and test methods to eliminate HTIS failures collaborating with TE/SME Specification owners.

What you'll do

• Champion change point analysis for re-used or modified end items and ensure correct level of requirements and checks are planned as part of the program.
• Work with customer correlation and system technical specialists to align system durability verification methods for each application including a formalized engagement of connected vehicle data, vehicle platform engineering and Ford Business divisions like Ford Pro.
• Integral to Signoff of System/Subsystem/Component with specific signoff responsibility BEFORE Chief Signoff.
• Lead technical design reviews with application supervisor for System/Subsystem/Component.
• Go-To for Problem Solving – Launch, Recall, Quality / Field Issues.
• Coach, Mentor, & Train Suspension D&R engineers across all the global regions.
• Leverage CAE modelling capability to optimize quality, maximize efficiency and minimize cost.

You'll have

• BS-Engineering required.
• 10+ years of professional experience in an automotive steering and suspension environment.

Even better, you may have

• MS-Engineering preferred.
• Extensive component engineering design & release experience
• Thorough understanding of reliability science and test methods
• Extensive experience creating and managing DFMEA/PFMEA/SCCAF/Control Plans/ drawings.
• Experience with CAE tools and methods.
• Required leadership skills - quality focused as #1 priority, innovative, excellent communicator, strong organizational skills , highly motivated self-starter.
• Demonstrated ability to forge productive relationships, achieve cooperation, and influence priorities of technical experts and other key partners.
• Technical depth in system, system architecture and mechanical design
• Advanced problem-solving skills.
• Strong leadership skills, passion for quality, passion for customer – inherent self-starter with strong drive for results.
• Familiarity with 6-sigma tools

Position requires occasional travel to assembly plants and other global chassis engineering centers to support new process development, issue resolution, and Design and Release engineer training.

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.

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.

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. #LI-Hybrid

#VehicleHardwareEngineering #LI-CW1