Aerodynamics Fabricator (draft)

Required Skills & Experience

-Use shop equipment to construct prototype parts, test articles, and test equipment. This includes manual lathes, manual mills, CNC mills, CNC routers, CNC water jet, CNC laser, sheet metal break and shear, iron worker, TIG/MIG welders, thermo-former, 3D printers, bandsaws, general woodworking equipment, spray finishing equipment, soldering and electronics assembly tools, vehicle lifts and garage equipment, and myriad hand tools. -Fabricate and prepare parts for full-scale wind tunnel models. -Perform basic automotive setup tasks such as alignments and part changes. -Assemble and debug test equipment, hardware, and instrumentation systems. Design and build test fixtures and assembly tools. -Help transport test articles, tools, and supplies to and from test locations. -Work with vendors to support prototyping and testing efforts. -Lift a minimum of 50 lbs.

Requirements:

-5+ years of fabrication and hardware prototyping experience. -Experience in mechanical prototyping, and machining. -Experience with shop/lab equipment installation and maintenance. -Basic literacy with CAD programs. (able to navigate an assembly, view parts, take measurements). -Familiarity prepping CAD models for 3D printing and operating 3D printers, or ability to learn.

Nice to Have Skills & Experience

Preferred Experience:

-Hands-on experience building and launching automotive products and vehicle prototyping. -Strong background in welding and general fabrication. -Competent as a manual and CNC prototype / job shop machinist. -Experience with CAM software and programming (Master Cam, Fusion 360, etc.). -Competency using Autodesk Fusion 360 and Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE. -Competency using Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW or other vector art drawing program. -Experience in machine repair and calibration. -Experience in professional model making. -Experience in auto restoration. -Experience in automotive body work and finish application. -Experience in automotive service and repair. -Experience in auto racing. -Experience in auto restoration and custom car fabrication. -Experience in aircraft construction (metal, wood, composite). -Experience in woodworking. -Experience with composite layup and construction. -Experience in sheet metal work. Experience in mechanical design. --Experience in DC electronics design/fabrication and mechatronics. Skill in soldering and electronic harness assembly. A system approach to design and development with the desire and curiosity to strive for exceptional delivery execution and continuous improvement. -Associate’s degree or professional certification in a technical field. -Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent experience.

Job Description

Work at the direction of the Lead Aerodynamics Prototype Technician to support the Experimental Aerodynamics team in wind tunnel testing of new vehicle models. You will support test article build and wind tunnel test technical support. Test articles are typically full-scale vehicle models consisting of a steel frame fitted with fabricated, machined and 3D printed components representing the exterior surfaces of the vehicle. Components are a combination of wood, high density foam, 3D printed plastics, composite layups, and various fabricated parts and brackets. Each model is fully instrumented to capture air pressure and other data. Test articles may also be prototype vehicles outfitted and adapted for wind tunnel testing.

Work at the direction of the Prototype Operations Manager to support teams beyond Experimental Aerodynamics with the development and testing of next generation electric vehicles. Utilize our in-house fabrication space, tools, and equipment to fabricate prototype parts, test articles, and test equipment. When required the Prototype Technician will also manage outsourcing of prototype production, whether internally within Ford or externally to approved vendors.