Location: Windsor, ON

Position: Long Term Contract

Title: 906-1 - Studio Engineer/Automotive DRE - Exterior Design & Packaging

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Automotive Design Release Engineer to support vehicle concept and production design development within a dynamic Product Design Office (PDO) environment. This role will be responsible for managing packaging requirements, design feasibility, Conceptual Digital Data (CDD) development, and coordination of design studio activities to ensure successful execution of vehicle programs from concept through style freeze and production release.

Key Responsibilities

Manage packaging criteria and bogey models to support feasible Conceptual Digital Data (CDD) surface development. Support Product Design Office (PDO) clay properties, theme development activities, mock-ups, and spaciousness property builds. Coordinate PDO fabrication, clay modeling, and studio support staff activities. Generate and provide milling data for clay model development and SLA data for rapid prototype parts. Lead weekly working-level meetings and drive issue resolution across cross-functional teams. Coordinate requirements and deliverables with ASME, AME, Vehicle Integration (VI), Human Machine Interface (HMI), Safety, and Body Controls & Interior Wiring (BCIW) teams. Complete Construction Sections and manage approval processes required for CDD Style Freeze releases, including Gap and Flush evaluations. Challenge engineering constraints and requirements to achieve desired design aesthetics while maintaining feasibility. Verify that CDD studies and official releases meet vehicle package, hardpoint, tooling, manufacturing, and PDO theme requirements. Present project status and support weekly PDO Exterior Coordination meetings. Ensure Series Card Program of Record (POR) content aligns with approved PDO themes and is accurately captured within CST loops and Visualization BOMs. Identify and escalate design, engineering, or program alignment issues when necessary. Monitor competitive benchmarking trends and apply market insights to vehicle development activities. Support prototype builds, design reviews, and cross-functional decision-making throughout vehicle development programs. Collaborate with design, engineering, manufacturing, and leadership teams to deliver high-quality vehicle designs that meet functional and aesthetic objectives.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Industrial Design, or related field. 5-12 years of automotive product development, studio engineering, vehicle packaging, or design release experience. Strong understanding of vehicle architecture, packaging, hardpoints, gap and flush requirements, and manufacturing feasibility. Experience supporting clay modeling, prototype development, and studio engineering activities. Knowledge of CAD systems, Class-A surfacing processes, CDD development, and release procedures. Experience coordinating cross-functional teams in a product development environment. Excellent communication, presentation, and project management skills. Ability to balance engineering requirements with vehicle styling and design intent.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience within an OEM automotive design studio or Product Design Office environment. Knowledge of vehicle exterior development processes. Familiarity with Viz BOM, CST loops, Series Card management, and automotive release systems. Experience supporting concept through production vehicle programs.