Design and Release Engineer

About the role

The Design and Release Engineer (Accessory Engineer) will own the full lifecycle of vehicle accessories – exterior, interior and commercial – from concept through design, development, validation, launch and ongoing support. You will work closely with cross‑functional teams, suppliers and manufacturing to deliver high‑quality products that meet cost, timing and quality targets.

Key responsibilities

• Design, develop, release, test and validate vehicle accessories for production, dealer‑installed, aftermarket and customization programs.
• Manage the lifecycle of accessories, creating and maintaining BOMs, engineering releases and product documentation.
• Coordinate cost, feasibility, timing, validation and launch activities for assigned products.
• Ensure compliance with engineering standards, DVP&R, DFMEA/FMEA and quality requirements.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to resolve design, manufacturing, quality and launch issues.
• Develop installation instructions and service documentation for dealers and customers.
• Provide technical support to service, sales, operations and manufacturing teams.
• Participate in engineering reviews, program meetings, launch activities and continuous‑improvement initiatives.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of automotive product development experience, including design and release of vehicle components or accessories.
• 3+ years designing automotive exterior and interior components with knowledge of manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with automotive product development processes (GPDS or equivalent).
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, suppliers and cross‑functional activities simultaneously.
• Strong project‑management, problem‑solving and organizational skills.

Required skills

• Proficiency with CAD systems.
• Experience using automotive engineering systems such as Teamcenter, TcVis Mockup, WERS, WOW, PDO and iPDL.
• Ability to create and interpret engineering drawings, schematics and technical documentation.
• Understanding of vehicle accessories, vehicle systems, manufacturing and assembly processes.