Automotive Exteriors Product Development Engineer

A day in the life

You start your morning partnering with the Magna Exteriors design team to turn a new glass/exterior concept into something that can be built repeatedly, safely, and economically. You translate customer specifications into clear engineering directions, shape the bill of materials, and guide validation plans. Midday, you’re on the manufacturing floor reviewing prototype builds, closing open issues, and coordinating rapid experiments. In the afternoon, you lead a customer VA/VE discussion, update Change Requests/Notices in the Magna Change X tool, and capture lessons learned so the next launch is even better.

What you’ll do

• Collaborate with Magna Exteriors Design to create future concepts and advanced systems optimized for Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA).
• Own product engineering from concept to validated system, ensuring full alignment with Automotive Standards and all Customer Specifications; act as the SME on customer documents and performance requirements.
• Initiate and manage Change Requests (CR) and Change Notices (CN) in the Magna Change X tool; track items to rapid closure using best practices.
• Scope, plan, and lead technical work across product, process, tooling, and materials for robust product design and development.
• Synthesize complex information and communicate clear engineering direction, design intent, and risk tradeoffs.
• Diagnose tough design challenges and resolve component/subsystem issues using 8D, Design of Experiments (DOE), and Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methods.
• Lead customer-facing VA/VE efforts; research, recommend, and implement novel or existing products, processes, materials, and equipment; perform comparative/competitive analysis.
• Coordinate materials, services, and proof-of-concept assets (mockups, rapid prototypes, development testing) to validate ideas quickly.
• Capture and share best practices and lessons learned to lift the quality of current and future designs.
• Support prototype, pre-production, and production build activities as needed.
• Safeguard intellectual property and complete procedures required to protect IP.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external customers through consistent, transparent engagement.
• Partner with program management on product and process development, including prototype tooling and builds.

PDP / Trax deliverables you’ll own

• Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA)
• Product Specification and Verification
• Engineering Bill of Materials (EBOM)
• Design Verification Plan and Report (DVP&R)
• Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VA/VE)

What you bring

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an Engineering or Technical discipline.
• 4–9 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Skilled in direct customer and supplier engagement.
• Demonstrated success in new product launches and gated launch processes.
• Background working with Automotive OEM programs.
• Confident negotiator and public speaker.
• Ability to travel up to 25% during peak launch periods.
• Comfort working in a manufacturing environment “on the floor” for extended periods; able to support builds at customer sites when requested; ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.

Core competencies

• Communication and English Proficiency
• Ethics and Initiative
• Safety and Customer Focus
• Collaboration and Stakeholder Alignment

Tools, skills & certifications

Required

• Strong mathematics foundation.
• Working knowledge of GD&T; ability to read and interpret blueprints.
• Timeline management using Agile and/or Waterfall approaches.
• Ability to create/maintain DFMEA, DVP, open issue lists, and timelines.

Desired / Recommended

• ASME GD&T certification.
• VA/VE certification.
• SAE Product Engineering Tools and Methods certificate.
• Six Sigma belt certification.
• CAD familiarity.

Awareness, Unity, Empowerment:

At Magna, we believe that a diverse workforce is critical to our success. That’s why we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We hire on the basis of experience and qualifications, and in consideration of job requirements, regardless of, in particular, color, ancestry, religion, gender, origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability or gender identity. Magna takes the privacy of your personal information seriously. We discourage you from sending applications via email or traditional mail to comply with GDPR requirements and your local Data Privacy Law.

AI-Assisted Screening Disclosure

As part of our commitment to a fair, consistent, and efficient recruitment process, we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the initial screening of applications submitted through our Workday system. These tools help identify qualifications and experience that align with the role requirements. Please note that AI is used solely to support our recruiters. Final decisions are always made by the hiring manager and the hiring team. Importantly, no applicant data is shared externally through these AI tools. All information remains securely within our systems and is handled in accordance with our privacy and data protection policies.

Under conditions defined by applicable law, you may have the right to request an explanation of how AI is used to support decision-making.

If you have any questions or concerns about this process, feel free to contact our Talent Attraction team.