Job Summary:
Our client in Irvine, CA is looking for a Vehicle Test Engineer. This is a contract position.
What You Will Do:
Top required daily responsibilities and skills:
1. Benchmark competitor vehicles for environmental durability performance.
2. Develop, own and lead test plans at test labs and proving grounds.
Key Responsibilities:
3. Translate customer and regulatory requirements into system and component level test requirements.
4. Benchmark competitor vehicles for environmental durability performance.
5. Develop, own and lead test plans for stone impact and chipping resistance of painted and coated vehicle surfaces at test labs and proving grounds.
6. Ensure delivery of water tight vehicle bodies through cross functional collaboration with water management, launch quality and design teams.
7. Coordinate with design, quality and materials teams to optimize coatings, shields, and sealing strategies.
8. Analyze test data, write technical reports, and lead root cause investigations of failures.
9. Support vehicle launch readiness through validating and address field-related issues.
What You Will Need:
Basics:
10. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering Materials Science, or related field.
11. 2-3 years of experience in automotive durability, chassis design, body sealing, or vehicle testing.
12. Hands-on experience with stone impact, durability, water or dynamics testing, fluid dynamics simulations.
13. Strong understanding of underbody and vehicle exterior systems, sealing architectures, structures design.
14. Familiarity with test standards (e.g., SAE J400, ISO 20653, ASTM D3170, OEM-specific test plans).
15. Experience interpreting test results, identifying failure modes, and recommending design changes.
16. Excellent communication skills to collaborate across engineering, design, and quality teams.
17. Salary range: 63k - 89k annual.
How You Will Be Successful:
18. Envision the Future
19. Communicate Honestly and Broadly
20. Seek Technology and Business “First”
21. Embrace Diversity and Take Risks
What We Offer:
22. Competitive Salary
23. Comprehensive Benefit Package
24. 401(k) with matching contributions
25. Paid Time Off
26. Employee Discounts
27. Free training on all Altair products