Product Development Engineer-Studio Liaison, Interior Cockpit & Trim

We made history and now we work to transform the future - for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

Product Development uses design thinking & user experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that delight our customers. We bring innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life. We have opportunities around the world for you to contribute to advancements in autonomy, electrification, smart mobility technologies, and more!

In this position...

As a Studio Liaison Engineer, you will serve as the primary technical interface between the Design Studio and Functional Engineering teams. You are a creative problem-solver who can advocate for the studio's aesthetic intent within the engineering community and, conversely, translate complex engineering criteria into actionable feedback for designers. Your mission is to protect the integrity of the design theme while ensuring every component meets rigorous engineering requirements, safety standards, and manufacturing feasibility.

The ideal candidate brings an engineering design background with experience delivering studio themes within financial targets.

* The PD Engineer may be responsible for managing product release CAD and BOM structures, including assembly positioning and mass attribute analysis. This role also includes facilitating supplier data integration and developing CAD studies to support and drive design improvements.

* * The PD Engineer is expected to understand and effectively utilize product check-in/check-out processes, version control, data release, and change management within Ford's PLM ecosystem.

* * The PD Engineer may perform feasibility analyses using CAD tools and clearance checks to support manufacturing and machining requirements.

This role is responsible for the design to cost and manufacturing feasibility of Cockpit and Trim systems, Studio Advocacy in the engineering community for programs in the early phases of product development. In this role the ideal candidate will work side by side with Studio, Design, Engineering, and Program.

What you'll do...

Collaborative Brainstorming:
Proactively participate in studio brainstorming sessions. Rather than simply identifying constraints, you will develop innovative concepts and alternative solutions to enable ambitious design themes.

Studio Advocacy:
Communicate the "Studio Intent" to core engineering teams, ensuring that the technical development of the vehicle respects the original design vision.

Design to Cost:
Work side by side with Studio, Design to Cost group and System Architecture Engineers to define an optimal theme convergence and affordability targets guaranteeing a profitable vehicle.

Feasibility Leadership:
Serve as the single point of contact for all feasibility assessments within the Studio. Evaluate design themes early in the process to identify potential engineering enablers.

Requirements Development:
Define and document concise engineering criteria and technical requirements for specific vehicle systems and components.

Cross-Functional Communication:
Act as a "translator" by communicating highly technical engineering constraints to a non-engineering audience (Designers, Sculptors, and Studio Leads) in a clear and collaborative manner.

Surface Compliance:
Review and sign off on surface data (A-Class surfaces) to ensure compliance with hard points, legal requirements, and engineering packaging constraints, in conjunction with functional engineering teams.

System Expertise:
Maintain a deep, "subject matter expert" level of knowledge regarding the specific systems you manage.

Monitor the early phase of the development of Interior Systems for Ford vehicles according to company-specific benchmarks.

Design parts in order to comply with Corporate and Local requirements for parts validation, considering the WCR (Worldwide Customers Requirements), ES (Engineering Specifications) and SDS (Systems Design specifications) as well as the Manufacturing and Assembly requirements.

Translate customer, regulatory, and product requirements into engineering targets.

Compile and consolidate cost and complexity data for cross functional presentations.

What you'll do...

Collaborative Brainstorming:
Proactively participate in studio brainstorming sessions. Rather than simply identifying constraints, you will develop innovative concepts and alternative solutions to enable ambitious design themes.

Studio Advocacy:
Communicate the "Studio Intent" to core engineering teams, ensuring that the technical development of the vehicle respects the original design vision.

Design to Cost:
Work side by side with Studio, Design to Cost group and System Architecture Engineers to define an optimal theme convergence and affordability targets guaranteeing a profitable vehicle.

Feasibility Leadership:
Serve as the single point of contact for all…