
Manufacturing Engineer-Body Shop
Ford · Dearborn, MI
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $63k–$162k
- Degree
- Required
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- 2 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at Ford (automotive) in Dearborn, MI. In this key role, you will provide manufacturing engineering leadership throughout a new model development program – from initial concept through final assembly.
- They ask for
- degree required
- Tools it names
- Lean, Assembly lines, Tooling
- Base pay
- $63k–$162k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Michigan: typical posted base $74k–$162k. This one lists $63k–$162k.
Median of the low and high ends of 23 live postings that list pay, out of 65 manufacturing engineer openings in Michigan, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Michigan plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 64 other live manufacturing postings in Michigan.
- Base pay
- About 8% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $78k–$166k, from 22 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ New product launch 63%
- ✓ Tooling 57%
- ✓ Lean 42%
- FMEA 35%
- Root cause 35%
- Automation 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Assembly lines, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Ford
We found 12 people at this company and state: 9 in this kind of role, 3 leaders, plus 2 likely hiring managers. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Rob → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Ford in Dearborn
32 other open roles at this site · 12 people we found in manufacturing roles at Ford.
- Manufacturing Engineer- Final Assembly · Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Quality Engineer · Quality
- Powertrain Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing
- ADAS Verification and Validation Engineer · Quality
- Lean Strategist · Lean / CI · Specialist
- Engineering Specialist, Industrial · Industrial
Full description from FordAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
At Ford Motor Company, we believe freedom of movement drives human progress. We also believe in providing you with the freedom to define and realize your dreams. With our incredible plans for the future of mobility, we have a wide variety of opportunities for you to accelerate your career potential as you help us define tomorrow’s transportation.
As part of our Manufacturing team, you’ll help build the world-class, state-of-the-art smart vehicles the world expects from us. Within our plants around the world, we’re constantly developing new technologies and processes to further increase our efficiency. That means we’re continually seeking diligent, determined performers who think outside the box to help us find better and more efficient ways to manufacture our vehicles.
What you'll do...
In this key role, you will provide manufacturing engineering leadership throughout a new model development program – from initial concept through final assembly. This will involve the application of lean manufacturing principles to ensure the highest quality, most efficient processes and products possible. You will:
- •Provide manufacturing engineering leadership throughout a new model development program, beginning at initial concept through launch at the final assembly facility.
- •Development of tooling and facilities based on product and process.
- •Apply lean manufacturing principles.
- •Lead virtual manufacturing assembly builds.
- •Drive resolution of manufacturing issues.
- •Interface with Design and Release activities.
- •Develop formal assembly process instructions and enter the process sheets into VPS system.
- •Lead assembly tooling specification purchase, installation, start-up, and commissioning at the assembly site.
- •Track all open tooling and process issues and drive to closure including meeting all exit criteria deliverables - cycle time, throughput, workstation readiness, etc.
- •Prepare management presentations.
- •Drive quality, cost and labor improvements.
- •Support new model launches. During launches, the position will require extensive travel, standing, and walking in a plant environment.
- •Deliver dimensionally in-spec parts for their respective system. Understand component data and a system impact.
- •Deliver cycle line layouts and work with the assembly plants to have a complete operator/equipment workstation ready for launch.
- •Operate in stressful situations within timing constraints
- •Work with minimal direct supervision
You'll have...
- •Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or an equivalent manufacturing engineering
- •Min of 6 mons in Manufacturing that includes internships.
- •Willingness to travel and support launch activities at our North American Assembly plants (USA, Canada & Mexico)
- •Travel is required including co-location at a North American Assembly plant for 9 or more months depending on scale of vehicle launch.
- •1 or more years of Microsoft Office experience to include Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
- •Up to 40-50% travel required
Even better, you may have...
- •Solid background with virtual manufacturing tools
- •Experience with tooling, process, quality, and or facility equipment in a production environment.
- •Excellent communication and presentation skills
- •Working knowledge of statistics (control charts, data collecting, etc.)
You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!
As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
- •Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
- •Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
- •Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
- •Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
- •Tuition assistance
- •Established and active employee resource groups
- •Paid time off for individual and team community service
- •A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
- •Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.
This position is a salary grade 5-8 and ranges from $63,480-162,120..,
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/GSR
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.
This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid
