Product Development Engineer - Exterior Lighting Vision Systems

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.

In this position...

The Exterior Lighting Engineer is a multi-disciplinary technical authority responsible for the integrity, evolution, and in-house design ownership of lighting systems. As the department shifts toward Build-to-Print (BTP) models and AI-driven engineering, this role is the primary driver of Ford’s internal technical foundation. This position bridges the gap between mechanical, electrical, software, and optical engineering. Whether focused on advanced development or application execution, the engineer is the primary lead in ensuring that lighting technologies are not only robust and manufacturable but also developed using the most advanced digital transformation tools available.

This position is responsible for the "DNA" of our lighting products. Unlike generalist roles, this engineer must master:

• Build-to-Print (BTP) Execution:
  Leading the transition from supplier-led designs to Ford-owned "Build-to-Print" applications. This includes developing detailed internal CAD, optical models, and technical data packages to ensure full ownership of the design and manufacturing specifications.
• AI-Driven Development & Efficiency:
  Utilizing and developing Artificial Intelligence to automate administrative and data-heavy tasks, enabling more time for high-value In-House-Design. Leverage Artificial Intelligence Generative design tools to optimize optical performance, thermal management, and structural integrity. This role is critical for implementing automated workflows that accelerate the cycle from concept to validation.
• Requirements & Design Rules:
  Defining and maintaining the technical specifications and global design rules that govern all lighting programs to ensure consistency and performance.
• In-House Technology Development:
  Driving the research and development of next-generation lighting technologies (e.g., advanced LEDs, ADB/Matrix, laser, or OLED systems) to maintain a competitive advantage.
• Regulatory Leadership:
  Serving as the technical lead for global compliance (FMVSS 108, ECE, etc.), ensuring that both current applications and future technologies meet stringent legal and safety requirements.

are essential to our technical risk management framework. This role is critical for:

• Failure Mode Avoidance (FMA):
  Leading the proactive identification of risks through the development and ownership of DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and supporting PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) to ensure flawless manufacturing.
• Root Cause Analysis:
  Serving as the lead investigator for complex system failures. This requires physical teardowns, forensic analysis of field returns, and the engineering of technical countermeasures to prevent recurrence (PRAs).
• Quality & Warranty Stewardship:
  Owning the technical "health" of the commodity. This engineer directly impacts quality metrics and warranty spend by ensuring that design-level flaws are engineered out before they reach the customer.

Exterior lighting is one of the highest-value commodities on the vehicle. This role is essential for:

• Team Value Management (TVM):
  Identifying and executing technical cost-reduction strategies through BTP efficiencies, without compromising quality or regulatory compliance.
• Cross-Functional Integration:
  Leading the negotiation between Studio’s aesthetic vision, manufacturing feasibility, and purchasing targets. Without this technical lead, the balance between "styling" and "functionality" is lost, leading to costly late-stage engineering changes.
• Pre-Program Leadership:
  Acting as the technical authority during early-stage feasibility (Pre-PS) to ensure that aesthetic vision and engineering requirements are aligned before program kick-off.

• Collaborat…