Senior Engineer - Occupant Safety

Oshkosh Corporation, Inc.; Oshkosh (WI); On-site; USD 32,000 - 118,000; Full time

Job summary

Oshkosh Defense seeks a Senior Engineer for Occupant Safety to drive the design, integration, and validation of airbag, seat belt, RCMs, crash sensors, and occupant detection systems for NGDV platforms. You’ll develop requirements, validation plans, and documentation while coordinating with suppliers and cross-functional teams to maintain safety and regulatory compliance.

The role demands hands-on experience with crashworthiness activities, system engineering, and CAD proficiency

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field with 3+ years of related experience.
• FMVSS knowledge for occupant protection.
• Experience with occupant safety systems, crashworthiness, or vehicle safety engineering.
• Systems engineering and requirements management experience.

Responsibilities

• Support the design, development, integration, and validation of occupant safety systems for current and future platforms.
• Develop and maintain system requirements, engineering specifications, validation plans, and design documentation.
• Coordinate with suppliers to support component development, validation, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
• Assist with engineering changes to ensure compliance with performance, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate occupant safety system performance, reliability, and cost implications.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Electrical, Vehicle Integration, Validation, Manufacturing, and Quality.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Travel up to 15%

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Creo

CATIA

NX

Job description

About Oshkosh Defense

About Oshkosh Defense, an Oshkosh company Oshkosh Defense stands behind those who dedicate their lives to protecting others. As an industry-leading tactical vehicle manufacturer, every day we strive to meet or exceed our customers' ever-changing needs with next generation defense technologies and advanced systems. We operate with unparalleled commitment to those who depend on our products and services worldwide to perform their missions.

Senior Engineer - Occupant Safety

The Senior Engineer - Occupant Safety supports the development, integration, validation, and lifecycle management of occupant protection systems for the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) platform. This role works to ensure vehicle safety systems meet performance objectives, regulatory requirements, and program milestones throughout the product lifecycle. The successful candidate will support the engineering development of safety-critical vehicle systems including airbags, seat belt systems, restraint control modules (RCMs), crash sensors, occupant detection systems, and related components. This role also supports crashworthiness activities, product validation, supplier coordination, production support, and engineering change management.

YOUR IMPACT

• Support the design, development, integration, and validation of occupant safety systems for current and future vehicle platforms.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of system requirements, engineering specifications, validation plans, and design documentation.
• Support crashworthiness activities including crash test planning, test execution, data analysis, and follow-up engineering actions.
• Perform engineering calculations, investigations, and analysis in accordance with Oshkosh engineering standards and industry best practices.
• Evaluate occupant safety system performance, reliability, durability, and compliance with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
• Support the development and maintenance of safety-related systems including: Airbag systems Seat belt systems Restraint Control Modules (RCMs) Crash sensors Occupant detection systems Associated electrical and software interfaces.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Electrical Engineering, Vehicle Integration, Validation, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and Program Management.
• Coordinate technical activities with suppliers to support component development, validation, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
• Support engineering changes to ensure continued compliance with performance, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate designs for performance, safety, manufacturability, reliability, and cost.
• Perform engineering analysis to support component selection and system optimization.
• Assist with preparation of engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, validation reports, and technical documentation.
• Provide engineering support for manufacturing, prototype builds, vehicle testing, and production issue resolution.
• Investigate and resolve engineering issues reported from manufacturing, suppliers, testing, and field operations.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and project documentation.
• Maintain effective communication with suppliers, internal customers, and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Provide guidance and technical support to designers, technicians, and less experienced engineers as appropriate.
• Support multiple engineering projects while meeting quality, cost, and schedule objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Accred Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field with three (3) or more years of related experience.

STANDOUT QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Experience with occupant safety systems, restraint systems, crashworthiness, or vehicle safety engineering.
• Knowledge of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), particularly occupant protection requirements.
• Experience supporting vehicle crash testing, validation, or certification activities.
• Familiarity with airbags, seat belts, Restraint Control Modules (RCMs), crash sensors, occupant detection systems, or related safety technologies.
• Experience with systems engineering and requirements management.
• Working knowledge of automotive electrical systems and integration.
• Experience with Creo, CATIA, NX, or other high-level CAD systems.
• Experience working with suppliers through component development and validation.
• Understanding of Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Design Verification Plans and Reports (DVP&R), and engineering change management processes.
• Experience supporting production issue resolution and continuous product improvement.
• Three or more years of engineering experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, heavy vehicle, or related industries.
• Experience supporting product development from concept through production.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively on cross-functional teams.
• Ability to travel up to 15%.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Internal Contacts: Contact with peers and others involving explanation of information (these contacts may be within or outside department or division), and the gathering of factual information; may include the communication of sensitive or confidential information.
• External Contacts: Limited external contact to: gather information, answer queries, or ask assistance.
• Communication Skills: Read, write and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos; Read and interpret safety rules, operating/maintenance instructions and procedure manuals; Write routine reports, correspondence and speak effectively before both internal and external groups; Read, analyze and interpret business manuals, technical procedures and/or government regulations: Read, analyze and interpret scientific and technical journals, financial reports and legal documents.
• Decision-Making: Regularly makes decisions of responsibility, involving evaluation of information. Decisions may require development or application of alternatives or precedents.
• Complexity, Judgment and Problem Solving: Generally diversified and moderately difficult work. Requires judgment in the adaptation and interpretation of established practices and procedures to meet problems and situations to which the application is not clearly defined.
• Supervisory/Managerial: General instructing, scheduling, and reviewing the work of others performing the same or directly related work. Acts as “lead worker”.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Physical Demands: Frequent: Standing, Walking/Running, Sitting, Reaching, Hearing, Talking, Visual, Typing; Occasional: Driving, Fine Dexterity, Manual Dexterity; Upper Extremity Repetitive Motion; Seldom: Lifting/Carrying 25lbs., Pushing/Pulling 25llbs. Non-Physical Demands: Frequent: Analysis/Reasoning, Communication/Interpretation, Math/Mental Computation, Reading, Sustained Mental Activity (i.e. auditing, problem solving, grant writing, composing reports), Writing. Environmental Demands: Frequent: Work Alone, Frequent Task Changes, Tedious/Exacting Work; Occasional: High Volume Public Contact. Work Schedule: Routine shift hours. Infrequent overtime, weekend, or shift rotation. Demands/Deadlines: High volume and variable work demands and deadlines impose strain on routine basis or considerable stress intermittently; OR regular direct contacts with distressed individuals within the immediate work environment; and/or exposure to demands and pressures from persons other than immediate supervisor.

PAY RANGE

Pay Range: $73,200.00 - $117,800.00 The above pay range reflects the minimum and maximum target pay for the position across all U.S. locations. Within this range, individual pay is determined by various factors, including the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, education and skills, as well as the equity of pay among team members in similar positions.

EMPLOYER FOCUS

Beyond offering a competitive total rewards package, we prioritize a people-first culture and offer various opportunities to support team member growth and success. Oshkosh is committed to working with and offering reasonable accommodation to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Oshkosh Corporation is a merit-based Equal Opportunity Employer. Job opportunities are open for application to all qualified individuals and selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristic. To the extent that information is provided or collected regarding categories as provided by law it will in no way affect the decision regarding an employment application. Oshkosh Corporation will not discharge or in any manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with Oshkosh Corporation's legal duty to furnish information. Certain positions with Oshkosh Corporation require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations or the Export Administration Regulations. Applicants for these positions may need to be "U.S. Persons", as defined in these regulations. Generally, a "U.S. Person" is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or an individual who has been admitted as a refugee or granted asylum. Advance your career by advancing the world. For many of our team members, this is more than a career. It’s a calling. Oshkosh is home to thousands of difference-makers working together to build, serve and protect people and communities around the world. From the front lines to the firehouse, the people we serve are driven by a sense of purpose. The people who work here are no different. Our engineering and product innovation help keep soldiers and firefighters safe, is critical in building and keeping communities clean and helps people do their jobs every day. As part of a People First culture, you’ll be encouraged and empowered to take ownership of your work, develop your career and make a real impact on the world around you. Oshkosh is a global company that designs and manufactures some of the world’s toughest specialty and access equipment under the brands of JLG®, Hinowa, Power Towers, Pierce®, MAXIMETAL™, Oshkosh® Defense, McNeilus®, IMT®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™ Communications, Oshkosh® Airport Products, Oshkosh® AeroTech™ and Pratt Miller.