Body Department Welding Engineer

Responsible for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation and improvement of automated body shop welding and joining systems. Provides technical leadership for welding and joining equipment, and equipment integration across the body department. Supports daily production, new product and equipment launches, troubleshooting, system upgrades, and continuous improvement. Works closely with body operations, skilled trades, maintenance, quality, safety, manufacturing engineering, suppliers, and contractors to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and equipment performance. This is an onsite manufacturing engineering role requiring regular presence in the body department and on the plant floor. Requires shift rotation, weekends, shutdown, or extended-hours support during launches, critical equipment work, troubleshooting, and planned maintenance activities. Travel to suppliers or other GM locations may be required based on business needs.

Responsibilities

• Apply structured problem-solving methods to identify root causes and implement sustainable corrective actions for welding and joining processes.
• Develop and implement predictive and preventive maintenance activities.
• Provide technical support to less experienced engineers, suppliers, contractors, production teams, and plant support personnel as needed.
• Propose and evaluate manufacturing processes and equipment for the body shop.
• Manage change control for Welding, Dispensing, Mechanical Joining, and Robotic Systems.
• Lead or support the design, programming, integration, installation, commissioning, validation, and launch of new or modified body equipment and systems.
• Review reports from destructive teardowns, in-process weld monitoring checks, and maintenance process control sheets for corrective action requirements and compliance to Process Control Plans. Develop and implement countermeasures as appropriate.
• Maintain welding and joining documentation to provide a weekly summary of current welding and joining performance for the body shop.
• Coordinate installation and validation of welding and joining equipment.
• Maintain documentation control of product and process engineering records (Weld Monitor Reports, Weld Data Sheets, Weld Tool Information Sheets, Dispense Data Sheets, eBOP assembly documentation, Gauge Records, Weld Destruct Reports, and Engineering Standards).
• Perform metallurgical cross-section preparation and analysis per General Motors engineering standards.
• Provide data analysis of welding or joining performance to create a historical timeline of events and deliver to plant leadership if a quality event occurs.
• Work with quality, engineering, and production teams for quality, warranty, and cost improvement activities; leverage resources to solve problems efficiently.
• Maintain, implement, and continuously improve process control methods for the body shop welding, fastening, sealing, and adhesive applications, including:
  • Maintain a database of all non-conforming joining problems.
  • Maintain weld equipment with yearly certifications.
  • Maintain and update all weld tool information sheets.
  • Maintain Audit certification for Body Shop.
• Provide a safe work environment and comply with all policies.
• Support TIP (Throughput Improvement) initiatives as required.
• Coordinate with the Quality department when product changes impact welding and joining process control.
• Execute safe work practices as the highest priority and achieve department objectives for ergonomics, health/safety, and housekeeping.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Weld Engineering, Metallurgy, or equivalent experience.
• Training in college-level theoretical and applied mechanics, vibrations, fluid dynamics, physics, metallurgy, electricity, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and manufacturing techniques.
• Training in computer and robotic applications.
• Ability to read electrical schematics and mechanical drawings.
• Strong communication, organization, project-management, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities with autonomy and accountability.
• Commitment to safe work practices and continuous improvement.

Skills

• Experience in an automotive manufacturing or body shop environment.
• Experience with Fanuc robotics systems.
• Experience with equipment commissioning, factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, or production launch.
• Knowledge and experience with:
  • Resistance Spot Welding (steel and aluminum).
  • Projection Welding.
  • Drawn Arc Welding and Brazing.
  • Mechanical Joining (self-piercing rivets).
  • Sealer/Adhesive Dispensing processes.
  • Laser Welding.
  • Laser Brazing.
  • Automated Robotic Manufacturing and associated controls systems.

About the Company

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions, and Zero Congestion, and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer, and more equitable for all. We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds, and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits

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