Technical Expert - Roof Systems

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This Technical Expert role within Closures & HLM, Vehicle Hardware Engineering, Body Exterior, is an individual contributor leadership role responsible for technical content, strategy and processes related to roof systems (convertible top assemblies, sunroof assemblies, removable soft tops/multi-panel hardtops [e.g. Bronco], etc.).  In this role, you will serve as the technical expert for all roof system related matters, ensuring robust design and delivery of components and vehicle systems.  You will lead all technical aspects of global product strategy, including product concept development, business case approval, supplier development, product development, verification & validation, launch/sign-off and ongoing support and quality assurance of products in the field.  In addition, you will lead technical development of global team members, oversee foundation document creation and enforcement of prevent recurrence, guiding development of standardized tools, methods, and execution.

In this position...

• Act as technical architect for Closures & HLM roof system function on a global scale.
• Act as technical resource internally and externally on component and vehicle systems. Provide technical support to global teams.
• Interface closely with technical counterparts (fellow technical experts, core and component engineers and supervisors) to ensure robust system level understanding and execution, as well as issue read across/lessons learned cascade for the Closures & HLM organization.

What you'll do...

• Lead technical signoff of roof systems at critical engineering gateways.
• Lead development and ongoing maintenance of commodity specific standards, specifications, and verification methods.
• Lead development and deployment of all commodity foundation documents including DFMEAs, SCCAFs, Boundary Diagrams, P-Diagrams, DVP&R, and integration manuals.
• Recommend, develop, and verify applications for new and advanced designs.
• Analyze designs during the development process and address any potential failures and error states.
• Lead design of new concepts to improve system performance and provide leadership and support for timely implementation.
• Monitor and investigate new technologies to drive company to best-in-class quality, cost and function.
• Assist Global Chief Engineer and Closures & HLM management in the identification, resolution and presentation of department technical strategies, objectives, mission, and values.
• Guide and oversee training, mentoring and provide consulting to department engineers, supervisors, and other interfacing functions.
• Support Campaign Prevention activities for pertinent systems.
• Provide technical advice and support for front and rear closure system related matters to the Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG), the Automotive Safety Office (ASO), Office of General the Council (OGC) and Design Analysis teams.
• Construct and develop simple and complex business cases for various designs and commercial negotiations.
• Guide development of system tools, methods, and processes.
• Lead design reviews based on Failure Mode Avoidance (FMA).
• Lead supplier selection and development with cross-functional teams.
• Lead and drive prevent recurrence process for systems and components.
• Share and present work to cross-functional teams and executive leadership.
   

You'll have...

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field.
• Minimum 10 years total experience with 6 years in exterior roof systems design and release.
• Experience in automotive product development in all program phases, from pre-program through launch.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in roof system integration and development including architectural setup, design for variation inherent with roof system execution (gaging/assembly/BIW variation), design & manufacturing methods (composite/thermoplastic/compression mold/textiles), dynamic sealing architecture for water/air leak management, complex mechanism execution (convertible top), etc.
• Working knowledge roof system verification, quality, manu