Exterior Lighting Engineer

Title: Exterior Lighting Engineer

Location: Warren United States

Job Description:

This Product Engineer (Design Release Engineer) role focuses on coordinating design analysis and product development activities for advanced components and product lines, with a strong emphasis on exterior lighting hardware and plastic injection molded parts. The engineer drives the release of new components, resolves design deficiencies, maintains cost controls, and provides technical direction to support personnel. The position involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and customers, and requires continuous engagement with new technologies and engineering best practices. This opportunity sits at the intersection of design, technology, safety, and brand identity, allowing you to see your work on vehicles in everyday use.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate design analysis and product development activities for advanced components and product lines, with a primary focus on exterior lighting hardware and related systems.
• Lead the design release process for new components, ensuring all engineering, quality, and program requirements are met.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including engineering, program management, and manufacturing, to align design intent with project goals and timing.
• Work with suppliers to develop, refine, and validate exterior lighting and plastic injection molded components.
• Resolve design deficiencies by identifying root causes, implementing corrective actions, and updating documentation as needed.
• Maintain cost controls by considering manufacturability, material selection, and design efficiency throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Provide technical direction and guidance to support personnel involved in design, testing, and release activities.
• Utilize engineering tools and systems, such as Teamcenter and other PLM platforms, to manage product data and ensure accurate release documentation.
• Support new product development initiatives by contributing to concept generation, feasibility assessments, and design optimization.
• Prepare and deliver clear technical presentations and reports for internal stakeholders and customers.
• Partner with management to analyze complex issues, propose solutions, and support strategic decision-making.
• Manage multiple assignments concurrently, ensuring timely completion of tasks and adherence to project schedules.
• Create and interpret sketches and engineering drawings that communicate design intent and ensure a common understanding among stakeholders.
• Apply engineering theory, principles of design, and knowledge of materials to develop robust and reliable exterior lighting and plastic components.

Essential Skills

• Experience in design release engineering, particularly for exterior lighting hardware and related systems.
• Hands-on experience with new product development, including concept, design, validation, and release phases.
• Mechanical engineering with exposure to product engineering in an automotive or similar environment.
• Knowledge and practical experience with plastic injection molding and plastic component design.
• Familiarity with Teamcenter or similar product lifecycle management (PLM) systems.
• Program management experience, including coordination of activities across functions and tracking of deliverables.
• Strong ability to create sketches and engineering drawings that clearly communicate design intent.
• Solid understanding of materials, engineering theory, and principles of mechanical design.
• Proficiency with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency with email communication tools for professional correspondence.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively cross-functionally and cross-culturally.
• Strong written and oral communication skills suitable for meetings and technical presentations.
• Ability to work well with others and demonstrate strong teamwork skills.
• Ability to multitask and handle diverse assignments concurrently.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with exterior lighting systems in an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or tiered supplier environment.
• Prior exposure to mechanical design and development for automotive or complex mechanical products.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with management to analyze and solve technical and program issues.
• Experience resolving design deficiencies and implementing engineering changes in a structured release environment.
• Familiarity with product engineering best practices and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Interest in and openness to working with new technologies and evolving engineering practices.
• A mechanical engineering degree or related engineering education is highly beneficial.

Work Environment

This role operates in a hybrid remote work environment, combining remote work with occasional on-site visits for parts inspection and design reviews. You will work with digital engineering tools, including PLM systems such as Teamcenter, standard office productivity software (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and email communication platforms. The position offers the opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and customers, and to contribute directly to visible vehicle exterior lighting products that emphasize design, technology, safety, and brand identity. Contract employees in this group have historically been considered for future direct hire opportunities, creating a pathway for long-term career growth.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Warren, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $55.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Warren,MI.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.