Description
Design and improve vehicle structures, powertrains, and subsystems using CAD/CAE tools; lead or support the build, modification, validation, and testing of vehicles and components.
- • Stay current on automotive technologies and competitive products through literature, conferences, and peer collaboration.
- • Establish production and quality control standards.
- • Prepare and present technical and project status reports.
- • Develop and implement operating methods and procedures.
- • Write, review, and maintain engineering documentation.
- • Conduct research to advance automotive engineering concepts.
- • Coordinate production activities with procurement, maintenance, and quality teams.
- • Provide technical direction to engineers and support staff.
- • Perform failure, variation, and root-cause analyses.
- • Develop and integrate control feature requirements.
- • Develop engineering specifications and cost estimates for design concepts.
- • Develop calibration and test methodologies and tools.
- • Conduct automotive design reviews.
- • Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms and embedded software.
- • Build models for algorithm and control feature verification.
- • Modify designs to meet functional and performance targets.
- • Design and analyze systems in aerodynamics, alternative fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, and diagnostics.
- • Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- • Design control systems and algorithms for energy, emissions, safety, and performance.
- • Create design alternatives for components (e.g., valvetrain, transmissions, HVAC) to improve efficiency.
- • Design for recyclability and use of renewable or recycled materials.
- • Specify lightweight materials (e.g., aluminum, magnesium, composites) to improve fuel economy.
- • Develop specifications for vehicles with alternative fuels and powertrains.
- • Research computerized automotive applications (telematics, ITS, AI, automation).
- • Research and implement green technologies, including electric/hybrid systems and lightweight, fuel-efficient designs.
Related specializations
Interview options
Interview options
Interviewee gender
Interviewee accent
Interview time
Related Pathways
Advanced Manufacturing
View
Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
Learn more
Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
