Carmaker Ford has revealed it is planning to appoint 7,000 new members of staff during the next two years.

The manufacturer's plans include creating engineering jobs in the US and the roles will include salaried and hourly paid posts.

According to the Detroit-based group, by the end of 2012 it expects to have 750 more salaried engineers in place, with recruits being sought at the 2011 North American International Auto Show.

A series of 4,000 hourly roles are expected to be offered at plants in the US, with 1,800 of these at the Louisville Assembly Plant as it prepares to start production of the Ford Escape.

Ford president of The Americas Mark Fields stated: "Working with our partners, including the UAW [United Auto Workers], Ford is finding competitive ways to engineer and build even more high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles with technologies American consumers really want."

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US showed a 103,000 rise in non-farm payroll employment during December 2010, compared with the previous month.

Posted by Fiona Summers