Recar
Principal Vehicle Safety Engineer
Troy, Michigan · Principal
Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 28 days ago
Data AnalysisProcess ImprovementLeadershipCommunicationCollaborationProblem Solving
About the role
- The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them.
- This role will be responsible for planning, executing, and analyzing the crash performance of our exciting new products.
- The start-up spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness move our business forward.
Responsibilities
- Lead sled, subsystem, and full-vehicle crash programs, including fixture design specifications, test requests, test readiness reviews, and post-test debriefs with engineering and leadership teams
- Build and maintain test validation plans, including test asset usage, collaboration with test facilities, conducting pre- and post-test checks, and completing crash vehicle reviews and assessments
- Cross-functionally coordinate safety asset builds with correct content, develop test requests, and oversee instrumentation and data capture for crash sensing and restraint system development
- Track test progress, manage the test matrix, and report status to program leadership
- Collaborate with design, CAE, manufacturing, and homologation teams to resolve structural, restraint, interior, sensing, occupant protection, and compliance issues
Requirements
- 10+ years of direct automotive experience in vehicle safety, crash testing, or restraint system development
- Experience with crash test setup, instrumentation, ATD preparation, data acquisition, and restraint deployment strategy
- Familiarity with CAD, CAE, and post-processing tools (e.g., LS-DYNA, HyperView, Beta MetaPost)
Nice to have
- Strong knowledge of FMVSS, IIHS, and NCAP protocols
- Experience with occupant performance assessment, restraint system development, occupant injury criteria, and occupant kinematics across regulatory and consumer rating crash modes
- Experience planning and executing quasi-static and dynamic crash tests
- Hands-on experience with vehicle safety development across sled, subsystem, system, and full-vehicle levels
- Proven success working cross-functionally with internal teams and external test facilities
- Knowledge of sensing and calibration requirements for crash and restraint systems including implications when making or proposing deployment changes/trade-offs
- Knowledge of CAE methodologies and correlation for crashworthiness development
- Understanding of FMVSS 305 for electric vehicles, ensuring HV system post-crash integrity and compliance
Company info
- Ability to interpret test data and translate results into actionable design improvements
- Understanding of vehicle design for structures, restraints, interior systems, and occupant protection solutions that meet regulatory and third-party requirements
This listing is sourced directly from Recar's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.