Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer

Astemo; Farmington Hills (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Astemo Americas, Inc. seeks an experienced Mechanical Engineer to design, implement, and optimize advanced mechanical structures for ECU systems in the automotive sector, with a focus on software-defined mobility.

You will perform 3D modeling in SolidWorks, conduct tolerance analyses with GD&T, develop testing protocols (shock, vibration, thermal cycling), and collaborate with US/Japan teams to ensure production readiness for high‑volume manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering; 5+ years of relevant experience preferred.
• Experience in ADAS/ECU design and thermal management.
• CAD skills with SolidWorks and GD&T knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop mechanical structures for ECU systems with thermal management and environmental protection.
• Create concepts and validate through experiments and analyses.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to optimize ECU housing designs for integration with components and wiring.
• Perform detailed 3D modeling and drafting in SolidWorks.
• Conduct tolerance stack-up analyses using GD&T to ensure manufacturability.
• Develop and oversee mechanical testing protocols (shock, vibration, thermal cycling).
• Evaluate materials and manufacturing processes to optimize quality and cost.
• Coordinate with suppliers and production teams for production-readiness and transition to high-volume manufacturing.
• Participate in design improvements with Astemo US & Japan teams for validation.
• Prepare BOMs and detailed drawings and mechanical specs.
• Communicate progress, risks, and improvements in cross-functional meetings.
• Adhere to quality policies and safety/environmental standards.

Skills

ADAS/ECU design

Thermal management

SolidWorks CAD

D-FMEA/DRBFM/GD&T

Experiment planning

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

MS Office

Job description

Company Name:

ASTEMO AMERICAS, INC.

Job Family:

Engineering

Job Description:

General Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the Director, this role is responsible for the design, implementation, and optimization of advanced mechanical structures, with a strong focus on software-defined mobility solutions for the automotive industry.

Job Responsibilities

• Design and develop robust mechanical structures for ECU systems, ensuring accurate thermal management, and protection against environmental factors (e.g., vibration, shock, thermal cycling or sealing).


• Generate new concepts and validate them through experiments and engineering analysis.


• Collaborate closely with hardware engineering teams to optimize ECU housing designs, ensuring appropriate integration with electronic components, PCBs, connectors and wiring harnesses.


• Perform detailed 3D modeling and drafting using Solidworks CAD software.


• Conduct comprehensive tolerance stack-up analyses and apply GD&T principles to ensure manufacturing feasibility, functionality, and assembly accuracy.


• Develop and oversee mechanical testing protocols, including shock, vibration, and thermal cycling, to confirm system robustness and reliability.


• Evaluate and select appropriate materials and manufacturing processes (e.g., injection molding, die-casting, sheet metal stamping) to optimize quality, performance, manufacturability, and cost-efficiency.


• Collaborate with suppliers and internal production teams to ensure designs are production-ready and support smooth transition into high-volume manufacturing.


• Participate with Astemo US & Japan Design Engineering organizations in the original design / existing design improvements and performance validation of ECUs.


• Prepare comprehensive technical documentation, including Bill of Materials (BOM), detailed component and assembly drawings, and mechanical design specifications.


• Participate actively in cross-functional meetings, effectively communicating design progress, risks, and improvement recommendations.


• Follow the company’s quality policies and procedures.


• Uphold safety standards and environmental compliance.

Qualifications

Knowledge skills and abilities:

• At least 3 years of experience in ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) or ECU design


• Design for thermal management with liquid cooling


• Experience with at least one mass production development project in ADAS or ECU.


• Strong understanding of automotive mechanical components and production quality requirements.


• Proficiency in CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks).


• CAE skills including stress, thermal, and vibration analysis.


• Experience with D-FMEA DRBFM, Tolerance Stack, GD&T


• Ability to create test plans and execute development experiments.


• Strong communication and presentation skills.


• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and general PC software applications.

Additionally, the ability to work independently with minimal direction is required as are strong verbal and written communication skills. Experience with PCs and application software, such as MS Office tools is also required.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field (Master’s degree preferred).

Experience:

Minimum 5 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 2 years with a Master’s degree.

Job level determined by various factors such as organization size, responsibility, career stage, and capabilities.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.


• Comfortable working in a professional office, testing environments, and occasionally in manufacturing settings.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) – Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity, disability, protected veteran status and national origin.

At Astemo, we’re challenging the status quo with the power of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. Our goal is to build an inclusive work environment that celebrates the differences of our employees. We want to ensure that every employee feels valued, respected and empowered. We don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Astemo is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job at Astemo, please send the nature of the request and contact information to [e-mail] when applying for the position.