Design Release Engineer - Seatbeats

As a Design and Release Engineer – Seatbelts, you will serve as the technical leader for seatbelt system design, development, integration, and release across multiple vehicle programs. You will drive the execution of occupant restraint solutions that are safe, robust, manufacturable, and customer-focused, while influencing cross-functional decisions from concept through launch.

This role requires strong technical expertise, sound business judgment, and a passion for safety, along with the ability to lead complex issues and align internal and external partners to deliver high-quality results.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design, development, integration, validation, and release of seatbelt systems, ensuring alignment with safety, performance, cost, quality, timing, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical leadership across seatbelt system architecture, component selection, design maturation, and issue resolution, making well-informed engineering trade-offs.
• Drive cross-functional alignment with styling, packaging, safety integration, manufacturing, purchasing, validation, quality, and suppliers to ensure seamless system integration.
• Own product definition, release, and engineering change management using Engineering Release Systems and Teamcenter Visualization, ensuring accurate documentation and configuration control.
• Lead complex problem-solving efforts, including root cause analysis and corrective action implementation across design, validation, supplier, and manufacturing issues.
• Proactively manage technical risks, deliverables, timing, and issue escalation through the GVDP lifecycle.
• Partner with suppliers to ensure design feasibility, manufacturability, quality performance, and launch readiness while driving accountability.
• Oversee validation activities, including test planning, results evaluation, and engineering recommendations to ensure product robustness.
• Drive continuous improvement in design practices, technical standards, and component strategies across the restraint system portfolio.
• Stay current on industry trends, competitor activity, and regulatory changes related to occupant safety systems.
• Mentor and support the development of less experienced engineers to strengthen team capability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related field.
• Significant experience in automotive design and release engineering, with expertise in seatbelt, restraint, or other safety-critical systems.
• Proven ability to lead design, development, and integration across complex programs and multiple stakeholders.
• Strong working knowledge of Engineering Release Systems and Teamcenter Visualization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive alignment in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a track record of leading issue resolution and making high-quality engineering decisions.
• High level of customer focus with experience delivering robust, user-centered solutions.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver against aggressive timelines.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Comfortable working with global, cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Experience as a DRE, Validation Engineer, or Safety Integration/Performance Engineer
• DFSS Black Belt certification
• Experience leading safety-critical systems through full vehicle development and launch
• Proven ability to influence technical direction, mentor engineers, and drive continuous improvement