Design Release Engineer - Frames / Structures - GM Defense

Description

About GM Defense

GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles and mobility solutions to defense, government, and security customers by leveraging the best of General Motors’ commercial technologies. We rapidly adapt proven architectures, components, and processes from GM’s global portfolio to meet demanding military and government requirements for performance, survivability, reliability, and total lifecycle cost.

The Role

GM Defense is seeking a Design Release Engineer to serve as the single accountable engineering owners for major subsystems on current and future defense programs.

This role is specifically for a Frame/Structure DRE within GM Defense.

In this role, you will own requirements, design, release, validation, issue resolution, and lifecycle change management for your assigned subsystem. You will drive technical direction across the program and ensure GM Defense solutions meet performance, safety, quality, cost, schedule, and compliance targets.

What You’ll Do

Technical Ownership

Serve as the single accountable engineering owner for a major subsystem from concept through production and sustainment

Translate customer, regulatory, and military standards into clear technical requirements and design targets

Own and maintain subsystem requirements, DFMEAs, DVPRs, BOMs, and CAD/CAE data

Lead architecture definition, trade studies, and technical decision-making across the subsystem

Design & Release

Lead the design, selection, and integration of components using GM production content, Commercial off the Shelf (COTS), and bespoke defense solutions

Ensure designs are packaged, manufacturable, serviceable, and compatible with armor, mission equipment, and adjacent vehicle systems

Execute formal part release and configuration control in GMD systems, including SOR, ICD, BOM, drawings, and specifications

Drive engineering changes and configuration decisions across variants.

Program Execution

Develop and maintain engineering timing, deliverables, technical risks, and mitigation plans for the subsystem

Provide clear status, risk, and trade-off recommendations to program leadership and customer-facing teams

Support RFI/RFP responses

Mentor and provide technical leadership to other engineers supporting the subsystem

Compliance & Configuration

Ensure subsystem design and release comply with relevant military standards, regulations, and customer requirements

Maintain robust configuration management across program phases, variants, and change events

Support export control, security, and customer-specific program compliance requirements as applicable

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

5+ years of relevant product engineering experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, defense, aerospace, or a closely related industry

Demonstrated experience as a Design Release Engineer, technical lead, or equivalent , with end-to-end responsibility for a major subsystem

Proven ability to lead work through concept, design, validation, launch, and field support on complex engineered products

Experience working in CAD/CAE and PLM environments, including formal change management and part release processes

Strong problem-solving, root cause analysis, and issue resolution skills in a fast-paced, hardware-focused environment

Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to interface effectively with suppliers, customers, and cross-functional teams

Demonstrated ability to lead technical direction, manage subsystem risk, and mentor other engineers

Candidate must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).

What Will Give You A Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

Experience with vehicle frames / structures

Advanced degree in a relevant engineering discipline

Direct experience with military or government vehicle programs, standards, or acquisition processes

Familiarity with GM engineering processes, systems, and tools, including bills of material, release systems, and global vehicle development processes

Prior work in low- to medium-volume, highly configured products and/or rapid prototyping environments

Experience supporting build events, fielding, or sustainment for defense or commercial fleets

Work Location & Travel

Primary work location: GM Global Technical Center (Warren, MI) with time spent at Milford, MI as needed.

Regular on-site presence expected to support labs, builds, and cross-functional collaboration

Ability and willingness to travel domestically, and occasionally internationally, to test sites, supplier locations, and customer facilities as required

#GMD

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc.)

This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.

The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role.

This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

This position requires the ability to legally operate a motor vehicle on a regular basis and successfully complete a Motor Vehicle Report review.

The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee)

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us 

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

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