Headrest Engineer
Overview
Lead the mechanical design and development of automotive headrest systems from concept through shipment. In this role, you will help advance complete seating systems by developing robust, manufacturable designs and supporting the in-house design and analysis process. You will collaborate closely with Industrial Design, Vehicle Engineering, Purchasing, Reliability, Packaging, Quality, Manufacturing, and Safety teams to resolve complex design challenges and deliver solutions that meet demanding safety, comfort, performance, and production requirements.
This role is well suited for an accomplished automotive seating engineer with deep expertise in headrest assemblies, seating structures, packaging, kinematics, and system-level development.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience leading automotive seating design and development projects.
- Strong expertise designing seat components, particularly headrest assemblies.
- Experience with seating structures and complete seat systems across multiple projects.
- Ability to design headrest systems that address:
- FMVSS safety requirements
- Design considerations affecting HIC scores
- IIHS requirements
- Comfort requirements
- Modal and NVH requirements
- Operational strength requirements
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and general mechanical engineering analysis skills.
- Strong materials knowledge, including an understanding of different materials and grades.
- Ability to communicate design issues quantitatively through verbal presentations and technical documentation.
- Significant 3D CAD experience, including proficiency with CATIA V6.
- Experience with seat system packaging, kinematics, and modeling.
- Demonstrated ability to design metallic and composite parts.
- Working knowledge of finite element analysis theory and general mechanical engineering analysis.
- Experience with:
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
- Design for Assembly (DFA)
- Statistical tolerance analysis
- Functional dimensioning
- Geometric tolerancing
- Preparing and checking 2D drawings
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment and independently drive design issues to closure.
- Flexibility and comfort working in a fast-paced environment subject to change.
Nice-to-Have Skills
- Experience developing mechanical design and analysis capabilities in-house.
- Broad experience spanning headrest assemblies, seating structures, and complete seat systems.
- Experience creating and executing component or system test and validation plans.
- Experience collaborating across design, engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, reliability, packaging, and safety functions.
- Experience documenting design trade-offs, technical decisions, and program status.
Preferred Education and Experience
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering required.
- Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading automotive seating design and development programs is preferred.
Other Requirements
- Work arrangement: Onsite in Foster City, California.
- Employment type: W2 only.
- Assignment duration: 18 months.
- Start: ASAP.
