Product Development Engineer

Group Presentation

thyssenkrupp is an international industrial and technology group with more than 93,000 employees. In the fiscal year 2024/2025, the company generated sales of around €33 billion in 48 countries. Its business activities are bundled in five segments: Automotive Technology, Decarbon Technologies, Materials Services, Steel Europe and Marine Systems. With extensive technological know-how, outstanding engineering competence and a high level of innovative strength, the group develops solutions for the challenges of the future, especially in the fields of climate protection and energy transition, digital transformation in industry and mobility of the future.

Company Presentation

Our Automotive Technology business is passionate about the automotive industry and produces as well as markets high-tech automotive components worldwide. With over 20,000 employees, we are responsible for the success of this business. Our product and service range includes chassis technologies such as steering and damper systems and the assembly of axle systems as well as powertrain components for conventional and alternative engines. We also develop assembly systems for body-in-white construction and produce lightweight car body components in series.

thyssenkrupp Presta North America is a global leader in automotive components technology and the leading steering systems supplier for the automotive industry. thyssenkrupp Presta North America provides the industry with high-quality manual and electric steering columns, rack and pinion steering gears, and electric power assisted steering gears. thyssenkrupp Presta North America is part of the thyssenkrupp Presta AG group, headquartered in Eschen, Liechtenstein. In 2003, our manufacturing facility was established in the South Industrial Park of Terre Haute, Indiana. Beginning with just one assembly line, a handful of employees and 58,000 square feet, the company has grown to over 450 employees and 224,000 square feet. In addition, we have an office on northeast side of Indianapolis where the Procurement and Supplier Development Department, Business Development and Product Engineering are now located. We have a third location in Troy, Michigan which houses our Sales Engineering, Logistics Distribution Center for USA, and Customer Resident Engineering.

Your Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of new products and product improvements, ensuring alignment with functional and manufacturing requirements.
• Co-own design activities on assigned projects, including print dimensions, specifications, and datum definitions.
• Assist in packaging studies and design feasibility/manufacturability assessments with engineers and suppliers.
• Conduct product benchmarking and support design validation through testing and analysis.
• Define testing equipment needs, develop test work instructions, and execute or supervise test plans and Design of Experiments (DOE).
• Manage prototype builds: organize BOMs, support RFQs, and oversee build execution.
• Follow the Presta Product Life Cycle process and maintain accurate PLM records at the released level.
• Summarize and present results from tests, FEA, and tolerance stack-ups; propose next development steps.
• Lead or support corrective actions (e.g., 8D process) for design failures or robustness improvements.
• Understand warranty issues and their relation to design decisions; maintain awareness of historical design and supplier issues (DMR/QR).
• Conduct risk assessments and report on design robustness status.
• Manage interface matrices and tolerance stack-ups; ensure product fit, function, and documentation updates.
• Review and update DFMEAs; ensure engineering documentation reflects current design status.
• Understand project timelines and their impact on engineering deliverables; communicate timing to cross-functional teams.
• Report project and problem-solving status to the Product Engineer using structured methodologies.
• Apply strong knowledge of die casting, stamping, and plastic component design and manufacturing processes.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer to local employees and ensure succession planning for expat roles.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university in Engineering, preferably Mechanical Engineering or equivalent field with over 5 years experience in the automotive industry or similar industry. Advanced Engineering Degree is a plus. Experience using DOE, FEA, Statistics, problem solving tools, APQP, FMEA, Poka Yoke Design/Design for manufacturability, and AIAG automotive standards.

The [above] is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.