Staff Lead Engineer Airbags

Job Description

This role is categorized as hybrid meaning the selected candidate will be expected to work onsite at the Warren Tech Center at least three days per week (or other frequency determined by their manager).

• This role is not eligible for relocation assistance

About the Role:

Join a team shaping the future of automotive interiors and occupant safety. The Staff Lead Engineer Restraints / Airbags / Steering Wheels is a senior technical leader responsible for end-to-end ownership of frontal airbags side airbags and/or steering wheel systems. This role is ideal for experienced engineers who thrive in fast-paced high-visibility environments and want to influence how next-generation vehicle interiors are designed validated and launched.

As a senior technical engineer you will set system direction drive robust execution and ensure your systems meet safety cost quality and timing targets across multiple global programs.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership & Execution:

• Lead the design development validation and launch of airbag and steering wheel systems from concept through SOP.

• Serve as the go-to technical expert for cushion construction inflator integration trim and steering wheel subsystems.

• Provide day-to-day technical guidance and mentoring to engineers to strengthen technical rigor and execution quality.

• Ensure delivery to all program milestones on time on cost and on quality including adherence to DFMEA DVP&R and drawing standards.

Innovation Strategy & Continuous Improvement:

• Identify and drive improvements in materials processes and system architectures to enhance quality manufacturability cost and execution speed.

• Lead departmental read-across lessons-learned and closed-loop corrective action to prevent recurrence of issues across programs.

• Champion adoption of best practices and standards for restraint systems and interfaces (airbag modules steering wheels wiring trim etc.).

• Ensure restraint strategies align with and enable corporate safety and regulatory imperatives.

Problem Solving & Cross-Functional Influence:

• Lead resolution of complex high-visibility technical issues including those impacting customer safety quality or launch readiness.

• Coordinate and support urgent or off-hours issue resolution when required (e.g. plant builds test incidents field concerns).

• Influence cross-functional teams (Safety Manufacturing Quality Suppliers Validation Program Teams) without direct authority to drive aligned decisions and actions.

Program Leadership & Collaboration:

• Manage multiple programs and priorities concurrently balancing near-term launch needs with longer-term architecture and strategy work.

• Collaborate with internal teams suppliers and global partners to define requirements negotiate trade-offs and ensure robust system delivery.

• Support travel to plants test facilities and supplier sites as needed for high-risk builds supplier engagement and program support.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Engineering from an accredited university.

• 10 years of experience in restraints or restraint systems engineering including one or more of the following:

  • Driver passenger side or roof-rail airbags

  • Steering wheel systems and integrations

• Proven expertise in several of the following areas:

  • Cushion construction and airbag folding

  • CAE / airbag modeling and simulation

  • Injection-molded trim and die-cast components

  • Leather wrapping and appearance-critical surfaces

  • Wire harness integration and routing

  • Inflator ballistics and performance

  • Stamping and other primary structure technologies

  • Evidence-based engineering test data analysis and correlation

• Strong knowledge of regulatory performance and validation requirements for restraint systems.

• Demonstrated success launching interior subsystems through SOP including issue resolution and change management.

• DFSS Black Belt certification.

• Excellent analytical communication and collaboration skills with the ability to lead independently and own outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree in Engineering mechanical disciplines preferred.

• Prior Design Release Engineer (DRE) experience for interior or restraint systems.

• DFSS Master Black Belt certification.

• Experience working with global cross-functional teams and tier-1 restraint suppliers.

Why This Role Matters:

• Shape the next generation of vehicle interiors and occupant protection.

• Operate in a culture that values innovation speed and engineering excellence.

• Directly impact quality execution and customer experience across multiple vehicle lines.

• Join a team known for raising the bar on restraint system performance and interior execution across the industry.

GM DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMIGRATION-RELATED SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS ROLE. DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU WILL NEED GM IMMIGRATION SPONSORSHIP NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. THIS INCLUDES DIRECT COMPANY SPONSORSHIP ENTRY OF GM AS THE IMMIGRATION EMPLOYER OF RECORD ON A GOVERNMENT FORM AND ANY WORK AUTHORIZATION REQUIRING A WRITTEN SUBMISSION OR OTHER IMMIGRATION SUPPORT FROM THE COMPANY (e.g. H-1B OPT STEM OPT CPT TN J-1 etc.)

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