Validation Test Engineer - Automotive

Essential Duties

• Own and drive hardware testing and validation for vehicle body systems and components, including instrument panel, center console, door trims, soft trims, hard trims, Displays/Mechanisms/Switches (DMS), and vehicle accessories.

• Coordinate validation activities from test setup through execution and reporting, including test planning, development, inspections, root cause analysis, and data processing.

• Design and fabricate custom test fixtures to support complex bench and subsystem-level testing.

• Ensure test results are well-documented, communicated clearly, and delivered on time; lead root cause investigations in partnership with design, quality, and manufacturing teams.

• Track test schedules and timelines with external test labs and Tier-1 suppliers to ensure adherence to program milestones and accuracy of results.

• Define test part quantities and manage parts logistics for validation activities.

• Create and maintain validation documentation including DVPRs, test specifications, protocols, and reports.

• Participate in root cause analysis with Design Release Engineering (DRE) teams as required.

• Coordinate and manage internal OEM-level testing.

• Review test reports and prepare executive-level summaries for engineering stakeholders.

• Drive DVP sign-off to support PPAP/LQP and enable on-time product salability (SOP).

• Travel to test sites as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related discipline.

• 5+ years of automotive interior and/or exterior validation and testing experience at an OEM, Tier-1 supplier, or accredited test lab.

• Experience using CAD tools such as CATIA, 3DEXPERIENCE (3DX), or SolidWorks.

• Experience with interior materials (plastics, polymers, fabrics, foams) and/or interior design and assembly strategies (clips, adhesives, fasteners, welding) preferred.

• Familiarity with automotive manufacturing and finishing processes, including:

  • Plastic injection molding

  • Press lamination

  • Hand wrapping

  • Back injection

  • Painting, chrome plating

  • IMD / IML

• Strong understanding of validation milestones across the Product Development Process (PDP).

• Hands-on experience with laboratory test equipment, such as:

  • Environmental chambers

  • Shaker tables

  • Power supplies and DAQs

  • Force and torque transducers

  • Pneumatic and servo-electric actuators

  • Thermocouples, strain gages, LVDTs

• Knowledge of FMVSS and international regulatory requirements for interior components.

• Experience with Atlassian Jira and Confluence.

• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.