Internship Automotive Engineer Jobs in California

This company located in Camarillo, CA has been in the automotive industry since 1967. With 60 employees across 3 buildings and about 35 CNC machines, the company is dedicated to making quality parts for one of the biggest names in the automotive industry.

We are seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead a small engineering team and oversee the successful transition of products from research and development through production. Reporting directly to the Owner, this role combines technical leadership, project management, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure new and existing products are designed for manufacturability, meet quality standards, and are successfully launched into production.

This is a hands on role as the Engineering Manager will mentor a growing engineering team, manage multiple concurrent projects, and serve as the primary engineering liaison between customers, vendors, production, quality, and inspection.

Schedule

• Standard 40 to 50-hour work week starting about 7 AM

• Every other Friday off

**Responsibilities: **

• Lead and mentor a team of engineers and engineering interns through technical guidance, coaching, and performance development.
• Manage 5–15 engineering projects simultaneously, ensuring milestones, timelines, and deliverables are achieved.
• Oversee projects from research and development through production launch, ensuring a seamless handoff to manufacturing.
• Design and develop mechanical components and assemblies using SolidWorks while maintaining revision control and engineering documentation.
• Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles to improve product quality, manufacturability, and cost efficiency.
• Collaborate closely with production, quality, inspection, and manufacturing teams to support both new and existing products.
• Develop tooling, fixtures, and CMM inspection fixtures to support manufacturing and quality requirements.
• Review engineering drawings and ensure compliance with GD&T standards.
• Participate in weekly engineering meetings with customers to review project status, communicate technical feedback, and translate customer requirements into engineering deliverables.
• Interface with customers, vendors, and suppliers to support product development and resolve technical issues.
• Support product validation activities and work closely with the Quality team to ensure product performance and compliance.
• Maintain engineering documentation and support ISO quality system requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance engineering processes, product quality, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Provide technical support to production for troubleshooting, engineering changes, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Guide inspection and manufacturing teams during product launches and engineering transitions.

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience using SolidWorks with a high level of proficiency.
• Strong background in mechanical design and product development.
• Experience managing engineering projects from concept through production.
• Demonstrated leadership experience mentoring or supervising engineers.
• Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles.
• Proficiency in Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T).
• Experience creating and maintaining engineering drawings and revision control.
• Ability to use precision measuring equipment including calipers, micrometers, and gauges.
• Excellent communication, organization, and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred

• Experience in the automotive or aerospace industries.
• Knowledge of ISO quality systems and documentation.
• Experience using ERP systems, preferably Epicor.
• Experience creating manufacturing methods, routers, and setup instructions for production.
• Experience designing tooling and CMM fixtures.
• Familiarity with product validation processes and manufacturing support.

Preferred Leadership Traits

• Hands-on, collaborative leadership style
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Ability to mentor and develop early-career engineers
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills
• Customer-focused with a continuous improvement mindset
• Comfortable balancing technical work with project and people management

You should be proficient in:

• Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
• Mechanical Design & Engineering
• Engineering Degree