Product Engineer -Vehicle

General Purpose

The Product (Vehicle) Engineer is responsible for engineering and designing new wheelchair-accessible vehicle conversions from concept to production. This role oversees design, system integration, and development strategy while ensuring alignment with quality, cost, and corporate objectives.

Indianapolis, Winamac

Full-Time

• Engineer, design, and develop vehicle conversions in CAD (Inventor)
• Design mechanisms, suspensions, structural components, closures (doors/liftgates)
• Plan design, procurement, assembly, and validation activities aligned with project timing, APQP, and mitigation strategies
• Ensure designs meet budgeted quality, cost, and performance targets
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, sales, and portfolio teams to incorporate all requirements
• Recommend low-cost alternatives, common designs, and standardization opportunities
• Build and design prototype vehicles
• Continuously improve designs, processes, and project timing
• Participate in design reviews to ensure conversions meet or exceed requirements
• Conduct peer design reviews to identify risks and confirm best practices

• Strong mechanism design knowledge; ability to integrate mechanisms with appropriate tolerance considerations
• Solid understanding of vehicle engineering, system integration, and reliable design practices
• Proficient in structural design, sheet metal, welding processes, and LEAN principles
• Understanding of fuel, exhaust, cooling, braking systems, materials, and relevant standards
• Experience with vehicle closures, suspensions, and related components
• Knowledge of material properties and selection benefits
• Strong background with design/validation tools: FEA, GD&T, DFA/M, DOE
• D/PFMEA, DVP&R
• Tolerance stack-ups
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to work under tight deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organization, accuracy, and problem-solving skills
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
• Prototype fabrication and welding knowledge preferred

• Inventor, AutoCAD, Vault
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Outlook
• ERP systems (Epicor preferred)
• Windows-based systems