Design Release Engineer (DRE) - Soft Trim
ALTEN Technology USA
Salary undisclosed
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Description
We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.
As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.
When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.
Job Description:
- Support the design and modeling of Soft Trim components — carpets, dash insulators, and firewall insulators.
- Assist in design reviews with the Global Technical Centre team under guidance from senior engineers.
- Support packaging, manufacturing, and assembly feasibility studies for soft trim components, particularly injection molded and formed parts.
- Help create Technical Data Sheets and DVP&R documentation for new components.
- Assist in preparing DVPR/DFMEA documentation for trim components in coordination with suppliers and the design team.
- Support CAD data finalization ahead of Step releases; assist with TKO packaging and clearance studies to confirm components meet specification.
- Coordinate with the NVH/CAE team to support component target validation and functional requirement checks, especially for carpet and insulator systems.
- Participate in design release/TKO sign-off activities under senior engineer supervision, helping track project timelines.
- Support benchmarking studies as required.
- Assist with supplier interactions, PLM activities, and CFT coordination, including tracking checklist approvals in PLM at project milestones.
- Provide design support to analysis teams (Impact, Durability, and NVH) to help meet regulatory and test requirements.
- Develop working knowledge of soft trim systems (carpets, insulators) and injection molding / thermoforming processes.
Preferred Education:
- B.E./B.Tech in Mechanical, Automobile, Production, or Industrial Engineering
Preferred Experience:
Essential:
- 5 to 10 years of Product Design & development experience in automotive Soft Trim components (Carpets, Dash Insulator, Firewall Insulator); exposure to Hard Trim or Overhead Systems is a plus.
- Working knowledge of NVH considerations in carpet and insulator design.
- Exposure to injection molded and/or formed component design and development.
- Basic working knowledge of Component & System level design and release processes.
- Working knowledge of UG or CATIA modeling and surfacing; exposure to Ennovia/Teamcenter preferred.
- Basic understanding of manufacturing & assembly feasibility considerations.
- Exposure to working with Tier 1 suppliers and/or OEMs preferred.
- Basic knowledge of the injection molding process.
- Good presentation and communication skills, with willingness to learn and grow under senior engineer mentorship.
Desirable:
- Familiarity with Motion Simulation tools.
Preferred Experience:
Essential:
- 5 to 10 years of Product Design & development experience in automotive Soft Trim components (Carpets, Dash Insulator, Firewall Insulator); exposure to Hard Trim or Overhead Systems is a plus.
- Working knowledge of NVH considerations in carpet and insulator design.
- Exposure to injection molded and/or formed component design and development.
- Basic working knowledge of Component & System level design and release processes.
- Working knowledge of UG or CATIA modeling and surfacing;exposure to Ennovia/Teamcenter preferred.
- Basic understanding of manufacturing & assembly feasibility considerations.
- Exposure to working with Tier 1 suppliers and/or OEMs preferred.
- Basic knowledge of the injection molding process.
- Good presentation and communication skills, with willingness to learn and grow under senior engineer mentorship.
Desirable:
- Familiarity with Motion Simulation tools.
- Basic knowledge of manufacturing processes (Thermoforming, Molding, Compression Molding) and plastic materials.
Software Skill Requirement:
- Working knowledge of NX& Teamcenter required.
- Knowledge of MS Office or Google G-Suite.
Recommended Additional Skills:
- Basic knowledge of CATIA and Enovia is an additional advantage
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.
Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.
Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.
About this role
ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a Design Release Engineer to support the development of automotive soft trim components—carpets, dash insulators, and firewall insulators—for major OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. This role sits within a larger engineering organization of 3,000+ professionals across North America, working on products ranging from aerospace to electric vehicles. You'll work in-office in Auburn Hills, Michigan, collaborating with senior engineers and global technical teams on design reviews, feasibility studies, and component release activities.
The position requires 5 to 10 years of hands-on product design experience specifically in automotive soft trim, with solid knowledge of injection molding and thermoforming processes, NVH considerations, and design release workflows. You'll need working proficiency in NX and Teamcenter, plus experience with UG or CATIA for modeling and surfacing. Day-to-day, you'll support CAD finalization, create technical documentation and DVP&R records, coordinate with suppliers and analysis teams, and help track project milestones through design sign-off. This is a mentorship-oriented role where you'll develop deeper expertise in soft trim systems while contributing to feasibility and packaging studies that feed into manufacturing and assembly decisions.
The role suits an engineer with a mechanical, automotive, or production background who has worked with Tier 1 suppliers or OEMs and is comfortable with both technical CAD work and cross-functional coordination. Strong communication skills and a willingness to learn under senior guidance are essential. As a federal contractor, ALTEN USA requires successful pre-employment drug screening.
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