Trim Validation Engineer

Workplace: On-Site, 5 days per week
Location: Foster City, CA
Salary: $120-130k

We are building an autonomous vehicle from the ground up, and the trim and closures that define its interior and exterior must perform through every mile and environment. We're looking for a mechanical engineer to own the validation of these systems — planning and running the tests, finding where parts fail, and verifying that each component meets durability, environmental, and FMVSS requirements before it reaches production.

Responsibilities

• Own the validation of trim and closures systems — plastic trim and injection-molded components, painted and coated surfaces, and windshield and glazing assemblies.
• Develop and execute validation plans, defining test methods and acceptance criteria tied to program and regulatory requirements.
• Plan and run durability, environmental, and performance testing, and interpret the results.
• Lead root-cause and failure analysis, and drive corrective actions through to resolution.
• Assess manufacturing processes, materials, and environmental failure modes to catch issues early.
• Partner with design, manufacturing, suppliers, and quality to bring components to production readiness.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (or comparable).
• 3–8 years of experience in automotive trim, closures, or body validation.
• Hands-on validation experience — test planning, execution, and data-driven failure analysis.
• Working knowledge of plastic injection molding and automotive painting and coating.
• Familiarity with windshields and glazing.
• Understanding of relevant FMVSS requirements.
• Strong grounding in manufacturing processes, materials, and environmental failure modes.
• Proficiency in CATIA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Component design experience in trim, closures, or glazing.
• Experience in a new-program or new-product-introduction environment.

Salary Range

• $120,000 - 130,000
• The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.