Sr. Design Engineer

Role details

Position Summary

The Senior Design Engineer is the technical lead for interior trim programs from concept through launch. This role owns design direction and engineering decisions for headliner and overhead system components, mentors junior engineers and designers, and is the primary engineering contact with OEM customers. The Senior Design Engineer is accountable for delivering robust, cost-effective, and manufacturable designs on time and within budget.

Responsibilities

• Lead the application of the Product Launch System across assigned programs, owning engineering deliverables and milestone readiness from concept through SOP.
• Serve as the technical lead and primary engineering contact for OEM customers, representing Motus in design reviews, technical negotiations, and program gateway meetings.
• Own program-level tactical plans, timelines, and open issues lists, and drive cross-functional resolution of high-risk or escalated issues.
• Set design direction for overhead systems and subsystems, making material, structural, and architectural decisions that balance performance, cost, mass, and manufacturability (DFM/DFA).
• Lead the coordination of geometry progression across the full system, and approve that geometric requirements are met at each milestone.
• Create, review, and approve CAD surfaces and solids, GD&T, and fastening design in Catia V5. Set modeling standards and check the work of designers and junior engineers.
• Own system, subsystem, and component data integrity in Enovia PLM (Teamcenter knowledge is a plus).
• Lead root cause investigations for complex design, engineering, and manufacturing feasibility issues using DFMEA, 8D, Kepner-Tregoe, Is/Is Not, Fishbone, 5-Why, and 10-step A3 methods. Define and implement short- and long-term countermeasures.
• Author and approve DFMEAs, and lead DFMEA reviews with cross-functional teams.
• Apply deep expertise in plastic part design, injection molding, thermoforming, and compression forming to guide prototypes, mock-ups, CAD models, and drawings.
• Define ED, DV, and PV test strategies and plans, and interpret results to demonstrate that customer performance requirements are met through design, drawing, and process controls.
• Validate design concepts with advanced analytical tools including FEA, Minitab, free body diagrams, hand calculations, and design guidelines.
• Lead GD&T tolerancing strategy and tolerance stack-up studies for components and assemblies in support of customer craftsmanship goals.
• Own engineering budgets for assigned programs, including engineering hours, prototype and validation materials, and testing costs. Identify scope changes from the original SOW, build the cost case, and secure approval from business unit and engineering leadership.
• Identify and lead material and design cost reduction initiatives from concept through implementation, including trial runs, dimensional analysis, drawing updates, and validation.
• Support and direct prototype and pre-production builds at sub-suppliers, tool shops, Motus facilities, and OEM plants.
• Mentor and coach junior engineers and designers, providing technical guidance, design reviews, and development feedback.
• Lead knowledge capture and lessons learned efforts, and own the creation and continuous improvement of design guidelines, check sheets, and best practices for the engineering organization.
• Champion innovative design across the vehicle, and partner with Studio, Packaging, Advanced Engineering, Manufacturing, and Suppliers to deliver optimal solutions.
• Collaborate effectively in a matrix environment with Quality, Manufacturing, Plant, Finance, and Program Management, influencing decisions without direct authority.
• Manage multiple concurrent programs, prioritize competing demands, and escalate risks proactively.
• Communicate clearly and persuasively with internal leadership and external customers, both face-to-face and through Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Outlook, Teams).

Requirements

• BSME or related engineering degree. MSME preferred.
• 10+ years of product engineering and launch experience in automotive interiors
• Proven track record of leading at least one full program from concept through SOP as the responsible design engineer.
• Expert knowledge of injection-molded plastics and thermoforming design.
• Extensive experience with automotive OEM customers and engineering launch systems.
• Advanced proficiency in CATIA V5 for creating, evaluating, and checking 2D and 3D designs.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring or leading engineers and designers.
• Strong working knowledge of DFMEA, GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and structured problem-solving methods.
• Experience managing engineering budgets and SOW scope changes.
• Green Belt certification preferred. Black Belt a plus.
• GD&T certification preferred.