Senior Design Engineer - Suspension

Astemo Ltd.; Farmington Hills (MI); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Astemo Americas Inc. seeks a Senior Engineer – Materials & Structural to lead materials and structural engineering efforts for shock absorber components. You will guide material selection, durability testing, and DFMEA/ DVP&R across global programs, collaborating with design, manufacturing, suppliers, and OEMs.

The role emphasizes DFM/DFA leadership, fatigue analysis, GD&T drawing reviews, and continuous improvement of materials and durability methods within suspension systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead materials and structural engineering activities for shock absorber components and sub-systems.
• Define and execute material selection strategies balancing performance, durability, cost, weight, manufacturability and regulatory requirements.
• Guide structural, strength, and fatigue analysis using FEA tools and correlate results with testing.
• Develop and maintain materials, coating, and structural design standards for shock absorber components.
• Support corrosion, durability, and material validation testing; define acceptance criteria.
• Review and approve 3D models and drawings with GD&T for manufacturing alignment.
• Provide technical leadership in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/DFA).
• Lead DFMEA, DVP&R, and design reviews; mitigate material/structural risks.
• Investigate material or durability failures; perform root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Tier-2 suppliers, global engineering teams, and OEM customers.
• Mentor early-career engineers within Core Engineering.

Skills

Materials science

Structural strength & fatigue

Manufacturing processes

DFMEA, DVP&R awareness

FEA/FEM analysis

Vehicle dynamics understanding

Analytical problem solving

Independent technical leadership

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials or Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

CATIA

SolidWorks

GD&T proficiency

MS Office / MS 365

Job description

Astemo Americas Inc. is seeking an experienced Senior Engineer – Materials & Structural to join the Suspension Core Engineering Team. This role is focused on shock absorber components and technologies and is ideal for a senior‑level engineer with a strong foundation in mechanical design, materials engineering, structural durability, and manufacturing processes.

The Core Engineering team is the technical backbone and component authority for shock absorber components and technologies, translating vehicle‑level requirements into robust, manufacturable damper solutions by owning engineering fundamentals, design standards, and validation methodologies across global programs.

In this role, the Senior Engineer will lead and influence material selection, structural integrity, durability performance, and manufacturability of shock absorber components supporting both passive and semi‑active systems. This position plays a critical role in development of new technology, global standard creation, industrialization support, and production issue resolution, working closely with design, simulation, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and OEM customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead materials and structural engineering activities for shock absorber components and sub‑systems, including tubes, rods, valves, weldments, brackets, and other load‑bearing parts
• Apply mechanical design principles to ensure robust structural performance, durability, and functional integrity of damper components
• Define and execute material selection strategies, balancing performance, durability, cost, weight, manufacturability, and regulatory requirements
• Guide structural, strength, and fatigue analysis using FEA tools, and correlate analysis results with physical testing
• Develop and maintain materials, coating, and structural design standards for shock absorber components
• Support corrosion, durability, and material validation testing, including interpretation of results and definition of acceptance criteria
• Review and approve 3D models and engineering drawings with detailed GD&T, ensuring alignment with functional and manufacturing requirements
• Provide technical leadership in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/DFA), collaborating with manufacturing and suppliers to ensure production‑ready designs
• Lead and support DFMEA, DVP&R, and design reviews, ensuring material and structural risks are identified and mitigated
• Investigate material, structural, or durability failures, perform root cause analysis, and define corrective actions for development or production issues
• Collaborate with Tier‑2 suppliers, global engineering teams, and OEM customers on material, structural, and durability topics
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to early‑career engineers within Core Engineering
• Stay current with emerging materials, manufacturing technologies, and structural durability methods relevant to suspension and damping systems

Required Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Strong fundamentals in:
• Materials science and metallurgy
• Structural strength and fatigue
• Manufacturing processes (forming, welding, heat treatment, surface treatments)
• Proficiency in 3D modeling and 2D drawing creation with GD&T (CATIA or SolidWorks preferred)
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications.
• Experience with structural and fatigue analysis (FEA/FEM) and test correlation
• Solid understanding of DFMEA, DVP&R, and automotive development processes
• Knowledge of corrosion behavior, coatings, and durability testing methods is a plus
• Knowledge of vehicle dynamics and ride & handling fundamentals, including an understanding of how damper characteristics influence ride comfort, handling, and vehicle performance, is a plus.

Professional Skills

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities
• Ability to work independently while providing technical leadership
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable collaborating across design, CAE, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and OEMs
• Willingness to support global teams and occasional travel

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent. Master’s degree preferred

Experience: 6+ years of applicable experience in automotive or mechanical product development

• Strong background in suspension, shock absorbers, or highly loaded mechanical components preferred

Working Conditions

• Occasional meetings outside standard business hours to support global teams
• Domestic and international travel may be required on a limited basis
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and lift up to 25 lbs
• Standard workweek with flexibility based on project needs

Supervisory Responsibilities: None (Technical Mentorship Expected)