Exterior Lighting Engineer

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.Product Development uses design thinking & user experience methods to deliver breakthrough products and services that delight our customers. We bring innovative, exciting, and sustainable ideas to life. We have opportunities around the world for you to contribute to advancements in autonomy, electrification, smart mobility technologies, and more!In this position...The Ford Exterior Lighting Engineer role is intended for a recent college graduate or early-career engineer who is ready to develop into an automotive lighting Design & Release engineer. In this role, you will learn how exterior lighting systems are designed, packaged, validated, released, and launched while working with experienced engineers, suppliers, studio, software, electrical, purchasing, manufacturing, supplier technical assistance, and quality teams.Our ideal candidate is a motivated early-career engineer with strong CAD fundamentals, good problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated interest in vehicle development. Prior exposure to automotive engineering through a co-op, internship, senior design project, Formula SAE, Baja SAE, vehicle systems project, or similar hands-on experience is strongly preferred. Lighting-specific experience is not required, but the candidate should be eager to learn product development, component design, validation, release processes, and supplier collaboration.This role is structured for an engineer who can build technical depth over time with coaching and hands-on program experience. The right candidate will bring curiosity, accountability, strong communication, and the ability to apply engineering fundamentals to real-world automotive design challenges.You'll have...Minimum Requirements:Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or related field0–2 years of engineering experience, with interest in automotive product developmentCAD design skills for preliminary design work, package studies, section development, or similar engineering design activitiesAutomotive background through a co-op, internship, Formula SAE, Baja SAE, senior design project, or other hands-on vehicle-related experienceBasic understanding of engineering design, testing, problem solving, and documentationAbility to work with suppliers and cross-functional teams with coaching and guidanceStrong communication, ownership, curiosity, and willingness to learn in a fast-paced engineering environmentSelf-starter who can work independently, seek guidance when needed, and follow through on assigned responsibilitiesAbility to apply engineering fundamentals to design tradeoffs and technical issue resolutionEven better, if you have …PreferredBachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Optical, or Software EngineeringMaster’s Degree or other Advanced DegreeExposure to exterior lighting, vehicle hardware, body systems, electrical systems, or similar automotive componentsFamiliarity with Design For Six Sigma processExperience with DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis), GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing), and ISO standardsExperience with CATIA, Teamcenter/TCE, 3DX, WERS, FEDEBOM, or similar CAD, release, or BOM management systemsKnowledge of plastic materials, plastic injection molding, optics, basic electrical/electronic circuitry, software, lamp manufacturing processes, tooling, fixture design and product validationInterest in learning exterior lighting attributes such as photometry, lit appearance, condensation, thermal management, electronics/software interfaces, aiming, serviceability, craftsmanship, and perceived qualityKnowledge of global lighting regulationsExperience supporting prototype builds, lab testing, vehicle teardown, manufacturing exposure, supplier visits, or other hands-on engineering activitiesParticipation in Formula SAE, Baja SAE, EcoCAR, solar car, robotics, or other technical team-based engineering projectsYou may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases• Tuition assistance• Established and active employee resource groups• Paid time off for individual and team community service • A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day • Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. This position is a salary grade 5-8 and ranges from $65,100 - $166,200. Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.For more information on salary and benefits, click here: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call View phone number on click.appcast.io.This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid#VehicleHardwareEngineering #LI-JT1What you'll do...Systems Engineering for Exterior LightingGenerate and execute technical solutions for Exterior Lighting components to support new vehicle programsSupport engineering evaluation, problem solving, and data analysis for exterior lighting componentsLearn how vehicle, regulatory, appearance, optical, electrical, software, manufacturing, and quality requirements are translated into exterior lighting designsDevelop preliminary CAD design proposals, package studies, section reviews, and conceptual CAD models with guidance from experienced engineersWork cross-functionally to implement cost savings, product improvements, and to support prototype and production build activitiesSupport supplier technical discussions, design reviews, CAD/data reviews, issue resolution, and launch readiness activitiesBalance attributes such as cost, weight, complexity, and timingProduction release of Exterior Lighting systems, subsystems, components, and featuresSupport validation readiness through DFMEA, DVP&R, inspection/testing review, functional assessments, and corrective action trackingCore requirement and technology developmentCommunicate information to and from internal and external organizationsLead team meetings (suppliers, designers, engineers, manufacturing, supplier quality, etc.)Travel as required (including international)Full timePosting Date: 2026-09-29