Underhood Trim Design Release Engineer

ALTEN Technology USA
Long Beach, CA
On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Aimed at mid-to-senior-level automotive engineering professionals who lead component development from concept to production.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with hands-on experience in automotive underhood components and tooling processes
    — “Develop and release underhood trim components, including leafscreens, cowlscreens, and related parts.”
  • Individuals who have coordinated cross-functional engineering and supplier teams
    — “Ability to manage supplier, manufacturing, and cross-functional engineering interfaces.”
  • Engineers with a strong grasp of DFMEA and validation processes
    — “Develop and maintain DFMEAs; identify risks and ensure mitigation actions are completed.”

Things to consider

  • On-site work is required four days a week, which may affect remote-preference candidates
    — “Workplace: On-Site, Monday-Thursday. REMOTE on Friday.”
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire
    — “All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with underhood environmental conditions and material strategies
    — “Knowledge of underhood environmental conditions, including heat, water, debris, chemicals, vibration, and aging.”
  • Demonstrate leadership in supplier and tooling kick-off activities
    — “Lead supplier and tooling kick-off activities; review tooling progress, trials, and corrective actions.”
  • Showcase problem-solving skills in areas like water management and noise control
    — “Resolve issues involving water management, debris protection, fit, sealing, noise, vibration, and thermal/environmental exposure.”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • successful product launches
  • quality component design
Typical background
mechanical engineeringmanufacturing

Skills & requirements

Required

EngineeringDesignProject Management

Preferred

DfmeaWater Management

Stack & domain

3dexperienceDfmeaPlasticsMolding ProcessesSealingDrainageRetention StrategiesProblem-solvingOrganizationCommunicationAutomotiveUnderhood ComponentsEngineering

About the role

Original posting from ALTEN Technology USA via Greenhouse

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

Workplace: On-Site, Monday-Thursday. REMOTE on Friday.

Location: Long Beach, CA

Salary: $120-140k

The Underhood Trim DRE will lead engineering development and release of underhood components—including leafscreens and cowlscreens—from concept through production launch. The role coordinates design, supplier, manufacturing, testing, and vehicle-integration activities to deliver durable, manufacturable components that meet program requirements.

Responsibilities 

  • Develop and release underhood trim components, including leafscreens, cowlscreens, and related parts.
  • Mature component concepts into production-intent designs and released product definition.
  • Define packaging, interfaces, attachment strategies, materials, and performance requirements.
  • Lead supplier and tooling kick-off activities; review tooling progress, trials, and corrective actions.
  • Plan and coordinate testing, verification, and validation against functional and durability requirements.
  • Develop and maintain DFMEAs; identify risks and ensure mitigation actions are completed.
  • Resolve issues involving water management, debris protection, fit, sealing, noise, vibration, and thermal/environmental exposure.
  • Support prototype and production builds, engineering changes, manufacturing readiness, and launch.

Required Qualifications 

  • Experience with automotive underhood components, particularly leafscreens, cowlscreens, or related parts.
  • Experience from design concept and maturation through tooling, testing, verification, and launch.
  • Working knowledge of 3DEXPERIENCE (3DX) and DFMEA.
  • Ability to manage supplier, manufacturing, and cross-functional engineering interfaces.
  • Strong problem-solving, organization, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications 

  • Knowledge of underhood environmental conditions, including heat, water, debris, chemicals, vibration, and aging.
  • Familiarity with plastics and other applicable materials, molding processes, sealing, drainage, and retention strategies.
  • Understanding of cowl, windshield, hood, wiper, HVAC, and body interfaces.
  • Experience with water-management testing, durability validation, noise concerns, and serviceability.
  • Familiarity with tooling reviews, part inspection, and production corrective action.

Salary Range

  • $120,000 - 140,000
  • The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.

Source: ALTEN Technology USA careers (Greenhouse)

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