Development Lead - Front End Closures

Job Title: Body Closures Development Lead - Front End Closures

Department: Vehicle Engineering / Body Engineering

Reports To: Body Closures Engineering Manager

Location: Auburn Hills, MI Chrysler Technical Center

Employment Type: Full-Time

Position Overview:

The Body Closures Development Lead is responsible for leading the design, development and validation of front-end closure systems including hoods, fenders and hinges. This role ensures that closure systems and standards meet performance, durability, safety, manufacturing, cost, and quality targets throughout the product development lifecycle.

The Development Lead Engineer coordinates cross-functional teams across design, CAE, manufacturing, supplier engineering, purchasing, and program management to deliver production-ready closure systems for new vehicle programs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead engineers for development of body closure systems from concept through production launch
• Own closure system performance targets including fit & finish, sealing, stiffness, NVH, durability, ergonomics, and safety
• Manage technical deliverables aligned with vehicle program timing and milestones
• Lead cross-functional design reviews, best practice alignment and conformance and engineering sign-offs

Engineering Development:

• Lead engineers to develop and release closure system components including:
• Hood assemblies
• Hinges
• Struts / props
• Fenders and brackets
• System level interfaces and functions
• Ensure compliance with vehicle packaging, crash safety, and regulatory requirements
• Drive robust design solutions balancing mass, cost, manufacturability, and performance

Supplier & Manufacturing Collaboration:

• Lead technical collaboration with tier-1 suppliers and tooling vendors
• Support design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) activities
• Work with manufacturing teams on stamping feasibility, hemming processes, assembly strategy, and tolerance stack-ups
• Support tooling kick-off, best practice and production readiness reviews

Validation & Testing:

• Define and support validation plans, durability testing, slam testing, corrosion testing
• Environmental sealing validation
• Structural and stiffness validation
• Work with CAE teams to ensure simulation results meet program targets

Launch Support:

• Support prototype builds and pre-production builds
• Resolve engineering issues identified during DV/PV testing and manufacturing trials
• Provide engineering support during vehicle launch activities

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or related field
• Minimum of 8 years of automotive engineering experience with focus on body structures or closures

Proven experience developing:

• Door systems
• Hood or liftgate systems
• Hinges and latch systems
• Experience with automotive product development processes (APQP, DFMEA, DV/PV testing).
• Strong understanding of sheet metal design, stamping, hemming, and assembly processes.
• Proficiency with CAD tools (CATIA, NX, or equivalent).
• Experience working with tier-1 suppliers.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading engineers or technical teams.
• Knowledge of tolerance stack-up analysis and GD&T.
• Familiarity with aluminum and mixed-material closure systems.
• Experience with electric vehicle platforms and lightweighting strategies

Key Competencies:

• Technical leadership
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Problem solving and root cause analysis
• Program management and prioritization
• Communication and stakeholder alignment

Key Performance Metrics:

• Closure system performance against NVH, durability, and fit/finish targets
• On-time engineering deliverables aligned with program milestones
• Cost and mass targets achievement
• Successful DV/PV validation and launch readiness