Design and Release Engineer

The Accessory Engineer is responsible for the complete lifecycle management of vehicle accessories, including exterior, interior, and commercial part & accessories, from concept through design, development, release, validation, launch, and ongoing product support. This role works closely with cross-functional teams, suppliers, manufacturing, sales, marketing, and program management to deliver high-quality accessory products that meet customer expectations, program timing, cost targets, and quality requirements. The position supports production, dealer-installed, OEM, aftermarket, and vehicle customization programs across multiple vehicle platforms.

• Design, develop, release, test, and validate vehicle accessories for production, dealer, aftermarket, and customization programs. 
• Manage the lifecycle of exterior, interior, and commercial accessories from concept through launch and service support. 
• Develop new accessory products and evaluate future product opportunities based on customer and market needs. 
• Create and maintain bills of material (BOMs), engineering releases, and product documentation. 
• Coordinate cost, feasibility, timing, validation, and launch activities for assigned products. 
• Support compliance with engineering standards, DVP&R requirements, DFMEA/FMEA processes, and quality requirements. 
• Collaborate with suppliers and cross-functional teams to resolve design, manufacturing, quality, and launch issues. 
• Support product evaluations, fit-ups, testing, and validation activities. 
• Develop installation instructions and service documentation for dealer and customer use. 
• Provide technical support to dealer service, sales, operations, manufacturing, and customer-facing teams. 
• Participate in engineering reviews, program meetings, launch activities, and continuous improvement initiatives. 
• Prepare and communicate project status, technical recommendations, and launch readiness updates to management and stakeholders. 

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline. 
• 5+ years of automotive product development experience, including design and release of vehicle components or accessories. 
• 3+ years of experience designing and developing automotive exterior and interior components, including knowledge of manufacturing processes and production requirements.
• Knowledge of automotive product development processes (GPDS or equivalent). 
• Experience managing multiple projects, suppliers, and cross-functional activities simultaneously. 
• Strong project management, problem-solving, and organizational skills. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with automotive engineering systems such as Teamcenter, TcVis Mockup, WERS, WOW, PDO, and iPDL. 
• Experience with CAD systems, engineering drawings, schematics, and technical documentation. 
• Understanding of vehicle accessories, vehicle systems, manufacturing, and assembly processes. 
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. 
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.