Senior Trim & Lighting Engineer

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Trim & Lighting engineering point of contact across body engineering, suppliers, and internal engineering teams.
• Own the design and release of attachment and mounting interfaces for interior, exterior, seating, and lighting components.
• Drive multiple suppliers in parallel against design, cost, and timeline commitments.
• Maximize component and part-number carryover while minimizing new part creation and protecting existing tooling.
• Manage body/structures interfaces and translate structural changes into trim, seating, and lighting attachment requirements.
• Define and execute component and subsystem validation plans with the Validation team, including DVP&Rs.
• Release parts and assemblies in 3DEXPERIENCE, maintaining data quality and change management.
• Apply VA/VE and should-cost awareness to protect program cost targets.
• Present technical direction, resolve objections, and build consensus on integration decisions.
• Lead a small team and cross-functional projects as needed.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, including DFMEAs and DVP&Rs.
• Review CAE simulation results to optimize attachment performance, fit, and durability.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with 8+ years of relevant experience; master's degree with 7+ years; or PhD with 3+ years.
• Deep knowledge of automotive interior/exterior trim, seating, or lighting engineering.
• Experience taking automotive components or subsystems through a complete design-to-launch cycle at an OEM or Tier 1 supplier.
• Experience with carryover strategy and attachment/interface design.
• Strong knowledge of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and fastening/joining methods including clips, fasteners, welds, and adhesives.
• Experience drafting and executing technical requirements using rigorous engineering methodologies.
• Proficiency in 3D modeling with CATIA V6, CATIA V5, or an equivalent tool.
• Understanding of design for manufacturing and attachment/fastening design.
• Experience releasing parts and managing changes in a PLM environment; 3DEXPERIENCE/3DX preferred.
• Experience managing multiple technical suppliers and project timelines in parallel.
• Familiarity with validation processes, DVP&Rs, and DFMEAs across a complete vehicle lifecycle program.
• Ability to work independently in ambiguous, fast-moving programs and lead a small team of 2–3 engineers.

Preferred Skills

• Early-phase program definition and validation planning.
• CAE simulation review for attachment performance, fit, and durability.
• VA/VE and should-cost analysis.