Launch Manufacturing Engineer
Ford · Dearborn, MI
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $74k–$145k
- Travel
- 50%
- Degree
- Required
- Industry
- Automotive
- Posted
- 4 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at Ford (automotive) in Dearborn, MI. You’ll help implement tooling, processes, control plans, and documentation, while supporting and improving the performance of existing plant equipment.
- They ask for
- degree required
- Tools it names
- DMAIC, FMEA, Control plans, Assembly lines, Tooling, CATIA / NX
- Base pay
- $74k–$145k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage · about 50% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Michigan: typical posted base $81k–$166k. This one lists $74k–$145k.
Median of the low and high ends of 28 live postings that list pay, out of 83 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 82 other live manufacturing postings in Michigan.
- Base pay
- About 11% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $81k–$166k, from 27 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ New product launch 61%
- ✓ Tooling 47%
- Lean 40%
- ✓ FMEA 33%
- Root cause 30%
- ✓ Team leadership 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for DMAIC, Assembly lines, Python, 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 11 people at this company and state: 8 in this kind of role, 3 leaders. 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?
- The posting says about 50% travel. Between which sites?
- 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
30 other open roles at this site · 11 people we found in manufacturing roles at Ford.
- IVI & Audio Hardware Quality Supervisor · Quality · Supervisor
- Engineering Specialist- Controls · Controls
- Manufacturing Engineer-Package Attach/ Reflow Soldering · Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Engineer- General Assembly · Manufacturing
- Senior Production Supervisor · Production · Supervisor
Full description from FordAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
requirements
for Vehicle Systems.
- ✓Collaborate with Product Development to develop facility and tooling cost estimates, improve quality, and reduce labor requirements.
- ✓Use virtual tools to evaluate the manufacturability of new-model designs for assembly operations, ensuring product designs meet FAE standard manufacturing requirements.
- ✓Evaluate Significant and Critical Characteristics identified by Product Engineers and develop Failure Mode Avoidance plans and documentation for new-model programs.
- ✓Create, modify, and maintain process sheets, and provide updated cycle-line layouts as manufacturing processes develop.
- ✓Lead the identification, resolution, and closure of Final Assembly Engineering (FAE) feasibility issues.
- ✓Review lessons learned from new-model launches and implement actions to prevent recurrence in future programs.
- ✓Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Program Implementation Teams, Product Development, Supplier Technical Assistance, Material Planning & Logistics, and New Model Programs.
qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field, a foreign-equivalent degree, or an equivalent combination or relevant experience.
- ✓At least 1 + years of experience in automotive manufacturing engineering.
- ✓At least 1 + years of experience with automotive assembly tooling, processes, and facilities.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
As a VOME Manufacturing Engineer in MPT, you’ll provide manufacturing engineering leadership throughout new-model launches. You’ll help implement tooling, processes, control plans, and documentation, while supporting and improving the performance of existing plant equipment.
What you’ll do
- •Deliver Manufacturing Quality Operating System
You may be a strong fit if you also have
- •Experience working at a manufacturing site or in vehicle operations.
- •Familiarity with error-proofing.
- •Strong project management skills and a results-oriented mindset.
- •Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- •Demonstrated 3D CAD review skills using Teamcenter, VisMockup, CATIA, or equivalent tools.
- •Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- •An understanding of PFMEA and failure mode avoidance principles.
- •Experience with Ford systems such as FEDE, WERS, GSPAS/APT, Teamcenter, Python, E2KS/Auros, and CPARS/Aurora.
- •The ability to work effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- •A record of working independently with minimal direct supervision.
- •Flexibility to support launch deliverables.
- •Experience using DMAIC principles to solve problems.
- •Willingness to travel up to 50%.
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
- •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
- •Generous vacation time, sick/personal time, and paid holidays, including between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
This position is a salary grade 6-7 and ranges from $74,300-$144,900.
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
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 with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.
At Ford Motor Company, we believe freedom of movement drives human progress. With our incredible plans for the future of mobility, we have a wide variety of opportunities for you to accelerate your career and help us define tomorrow’s transportation.