Design Release Engineer - Oil Pans and Covers

Key Responsibilities

Design & Development

• Lead the design of Oil Pans and Covers, ensuring alignment with engine and vehicle requirements.
• Develop and refine concepts for Oil Pans, Front Covers, and Valve Covers based on packaging, performance, and system constraints.
• Support CAD modeling, CAE analysis, and other design validation methods - including VSA (Variable Simulation Assembly) - to ensure compliance with engineering standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering groups (engine, vehicle, systems, packaging) to integrate Covers and Pans into the engine and overall vehicle architecture.
• As a DRE, partner with the Covers and Pans technical expert lead to uphold engineering best practices throughout component development.
• Maintain sourcing documentation for relevant components, including SOR templates, Part Inspection Standards, and Technical Specification Lists.

Release & Program Management

• Manage design release activities from early concept through production, ensuring timely completion of B‑Sample, C‑Sample, X0, X1, X2, and X3 milestones.
• Own the Bill of Materials (BOM) and Engineering Change Notices (CNs) for assigned system components.
• Ensure that all parts meet cost, quality, and timing targets; work closely with purchasing to support on‑time sourcing.
• Lead the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) for Oil Pans, Front Covers, and Valve Covers, ensuring compliance with regulatory and customer specifications.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, suppliers, and quality teams to ensure successful release, handling, assembly, and implementation of designs.

Technical Guidance & Problem Solving

• Participate in weekly or bi-weekly meetings with the global Technical Expert community.
• Provide technical leadership during development and production to resolve design issues, material challenges, and manufacturing process concerns.
• Lead DFMEA activities and other risk assessment processes to ensure design robustness and mitigate potential issues.
• Support the development of test strategies, including bench-level and vehicle-level system testing.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with suppliers to ensure design feasibility, cost effectiveness, and manufacturability of assigned components.
• Collaborate with validation teams to define and execute testing plans that meet functional and performance requirements.
• Partner with vehicle integration teams to ensure proper fit, safety, and system compatibility within vehicle platforms.

Documentation & Reporting

• Support development and maintenance of engineering best practices in collaboration with the technical expert lead.
• Create and maintain engineering documentation - including design specifications, drawings, DVP&Rs, and validation reports.
• Ensure all technical documentation aligns with program timelines and PPAP requirements.
• Provide clear status updates, timing reports, and risk assessments to senior leadership and stakeholders.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 1 year of relevant experience working with design and manufacturing within the automotive industry. Previous oil pan and cover design and release experience is desired, but not a requirement.
• Strong understanding of component-level design and manufacturing processes, including formation, assembly, and integration.
• Familiarity with product development documentation such as DFMEA and DVP&R.
• Knowledge of material properties, rigidity, compliance, strength, GD&T, CAE analysis, and VSA.
• Ability to define system and component‑level requirements.
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills (oral and written).
• Demonstrated project management experience.
• Proven understanding of Design Release Engineer responsibilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in casting and plastic component design.
• Hands-on experience developing and executing validation plans.
• Key traits for success: action-oriented, comfortable with ambiguity, customer-focused, strong problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools, preferably Siemens NX, Team Center