Sr Studio Design Engineer

General Motors Company; Michigan; Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors is seeking a Studio Design Engineer to integrate and balance vehicle models with Design in partnership with Architecture, SMT, Performance, Human Factors and Manufacturing. This role works at a systems level early in vehicle development, blending technology and design to advance customer value.

The ideal candidate has a passion for automotive design, strong engineering fundamentals, and the ability to balance customer-facing targets with manufacturability.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree required with strong knowledge of automotive design.
• Experience with integrating design across disciplines.
• Strong communication and independent judgment.

Responsibilities

• Create, refine and finalize engineering criteria with design teams.
• Lead innovative engineering solutions to resolve packaging issues.
• Apply DFSS to ensure robust design development and trade-offs.
• Balance regional/global requirements with brand needs.
• Support design surfaces in digital and physical mockups.
• Develop NX models for surface guidance.

Skills

Unigraphics CAD

Systems engineering

Packaging design

Analytical ability

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

NX modeling

DFSS

Job description

This role is categorized as hybrid. The selected candidate will be expected to work on‑site at the Warren Tech Center at least three days per week, or as otherwise determined by the hiring leader.

• This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human‑centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard —from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next‑generation safety and entertainment features.

Every day, our products move millions of peopleas we aim to makedriving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale..

About the role:

Do you enjoy creating unique and highly technical engineering solutions to address unusual challenges? Are you curious about how a vehicle design develops into reality, where it all begins? The Studio Design Engineer is responsible for integrating and balancing vehicle models with Design in partnership with Architecture, SMT, Performance, Human Factors and Manufacturing. We are at the very early stages of the vehicle development process working at a systems level to integrate innovative technology and cutting‑edge design. The optimal candidate has a passion for the automotive industry and can work objectively to balance the vehicle for the customer while working hard to enable design. A considerable amount of creativity and initiative are involved as well as a high level of independent judgment.

Responsibilities:

• Create, refine and finalize engineering criteria and work collaboratively with creative design
• Lead the creation of unique and highly-integrated technical engineering solutions to resolve packaging issues while protecting the design aesthetic utilizing physical and math models.
• Utilize DFSS methodologies to ensure robust design development trade off management to study alternatives while considering impacts such as cost, mass, timing, design for assembly, dimensional variation and other program imperatives
• Integrate regional/global requirements and develop alternatives to satisfy regional/brand needs
• Actively communicate with team members to understand and resolve challenges and complexities within the Expert Team meeting for your area of responsibility
• Ensure that packaging and Studio model are balanced with customer facing targets (Spaciousness, Visibility, Occupant accommodation, Storage/SALT, Cargo, Access)
• Lead cross-functional surface & integration meetings including CITs and Surface Workgroups
• Lead issue resolution and escalation for your area of responsibility – drive prompt resolution
• Support technical development of design surface in both digital and full size/scale clay models as well as clinic properties and VR/MR mockups
• Benchmark the competition and ensure that the integrated package is competitive (section size, clearances, component locations, component size, functional performance, etc.)
• Develop meeting agendas and publish minutes
• Create NX models for surface guidance
• Develop and maintain NX skills
• Incorporate the Voice of the Customer in package design
• Develop space claims and package solutions to meet customer needs while maximizing the utilization of space
• Support Math Virtual Assessments & Synch Point reviews

Qualifications

Basic Required

• Engineering Degree (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering
• 5+ years’ experience in a related area
• Understanding of engineering theory and principles of automotive design
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and with others
• Aptitude to integrate complex systems and a passion for design
• High level of analytical ability where problems are unusual or difficult
• High level of interpersonal skills to work effectively with others
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes
• Demonstrated skills on CAD - Unigraphics systems
• Basic understanding of Engineering Specifications
• College degree with a major in engineering or established substitute (Technical associates + Mich. Tech Univ. DE Certificate during DE transition period)

Basic Preferred

• Courses preferred: Statistics, Mechanics of materials, Vehicle/occupant packaging, Integrated Design
• DFSS Certification - Black Belt

GM DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMIGRATION-RELATED SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS ROLE. DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU WILL NEED GM IMMIGRATION SPONSORSHIP NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. THIS INCLUDES DIRECT COMPANY SPONSORSHIP, ENTRY OF GM AS THE IMMIGRATION EMPLOYER OF RECORD ON A GOVERNMENT FORM, AND ANY WORK AUTHORIZATION REQUIRING A WRITTEN SUBMISSION OR OTHER IMMIGRATION SUPPORT FROM THE COMPANY (e.g., H-1B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc.)