Design & Release Engineer - Closures (Stamped Doors)

Position Overview

We are seeking a Mid-Level Design & Release Engineer (DRE) specializing in Stamped Doors to lead the technical development, structural packaging, and release of vehicle side door assemblies. In this hybrid role, you will manage side door closures from initial CAD surfaces through tooling validation and production launch. You will be responsible for balancing structural door integrity (side-impact, sag, and latch load performance) with complex packaging requirements for glass guidance, sealing, latching mechanisms, hinges, and exterior/interior trim interfaces, collaborating directly with OEM plant teams, CAE groups, and Tier-1 suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

• Stamped Door DRE Management: Lead the engineering design, packaging, release, and change management (DCN/ECN) for stamped steel and aluminum side door assemblies (inner/outer panels, structural reinforcements, and beltline structures).
• Door Systems & Hardware Integration: Coordinate packaging and functional interfaces for dynamic door components, including hinges, latches, strikers, check arms, window regulators, glass runs, side-impact beams, and weather-strip seals.
• 3D CAD & Kinematic Packaging: Execute CAD packaging studies, dynamic door-swing clearance evaluations, glass drop trajectories, and seal compression modeling in Siemens NX or CATIA V5/3DEXPERIENCE.
• Stamping Feasibility & DFMA: Collaborate with Stamping and Tooling teams to evaluate drawability, springback, hem-flange joining, laser welding, and spot-weld access to ensure strict Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) compliance.
• Quality & Stack-up Control: Establish GD&T schemes, conduct 3D tolerance stack-up analyses to control flush and gap requirements, manage DFMEAs, and maintain accurate Bills of Materials (BOM).
• Validation & Shop-Floor Support: Interpret CAE simulation results (modal, sag, stiffness, dynamic latching, side-impact crash) and lead physical prototype trial builds to resolve assembly, seal-leakage, or fitment issues.

Key Competencies

• Stamped Door Structural Expertise: Specialized knowledge of sheet metal stamping (steel/aluminum), deep-drawing feasibility, door hem-flanging, structural adhesives, and side-impact beam integration.
• Door Mechanism & Sealing Packaging: Advanced command of door kinematic swing packaging, glass run/regulator geometry, latch/striker alignment, and primary/secondary sealing systems.
• Engineering Change & Lifecycle Control: Experienced in routing Design Change Notices (DCN/ECN), maintaining revision history, and managing complex BOM structures within PLM environments.
• GD&T & Tolerance Stack-ups: Expertise in defining datum schemes, datum reference frames, and multi-part tolerance stack-ups for stamped door assemblies and body side apertures.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong communication skills to interface seamlessly across OEM Styling Studios, CAE analysis, Stamping plants, Assembly operations, and external Tier-1 hardware suppliers.
• Root Cause Diagnostics: Demonstrated capability in troubleshooting shop-floor door fitment issues, door wind-noise/water-leaks, or mechanical binding using 8D or Ishikawa methodologies.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical, Automotive, Mechatronics, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Experience: 3+ to 5 years of experience as a Design & Release Engineer (DRE) or Product Engineer focused on automotive stamped closures, side doors, or BIW assemblies.
• Software Proficiency: Advanced command of 3D CAD platforms (Siemens NX, CATIA V5, or 3DEXPERIENCE) and enterprise PLM tools (Teamcenter or Enovia).
• Manufacturing Knowledge: In-depth understanding of sheet metal stamping processes, hem-flange joining, resistance spot welding (RSW), and door assembly line sequencing.
• Languages: Professional business proficiency in English and Spanish (written and verbal) for technical reporting and global engineering coordination.

SEGULA Technologies is a global engineering group, boosting the competitiveness of all major industrial sectors: automotive, aerospace, energy, rail, naval, life sciences, and telecoms. With a presence in more than 30 countries and 140 locations worldwide, the Group prioritizes close relationships with its clients, driven by the expertise of its 15,000 employees. As a leading engineering player putting innovation at the heart of its strategy, SEGULA Technologies manages large-scale projects, ranging from initial studies to industrialization and production. SEGULA TECHNOLOGIES is dedicated to gender balance and diversity, recognizing and recruiting talent of all backgrounds.