Description
Plan, coordinate, and deliver vehicle system development projects—spanning structures, powertrain, and chassis—using CAD/CAE and systems engineering methods. Lead cross-functional teams and suppliers to build, modify, and validate components while managing scope, schedule, cost, risk, and quality.
- • Stay current on automotive technologies and competitor products to inform project plans.
- • Define project scope, milestones, budgets, and resource plans.
- • Prepare and present technical and project status reports to stakeholders.
- • Develop and maintain project schedules, risk registers, and change control.
- • Write, review, and manage engineering requirements and documentation.
- • Plan and coordinate research or feasibility studies to de-risk concepts.
- • Coordinate design, procurement, manufacturing, and quality activities across functions.
- • Provide technical direction and day-to-day guidance to engineers and technicians.
- • Lead failure analysis, variance investigations, and root cause and corrective actions.
- • Translate customer and regulatory needs into control feature requirements.
- • Develop engineering specifications, targets, and cost estimates for designs.
- • Define validation plans, test methods, and required tools or fixtures.
- • Plan and facilitate automotive design reviews and gate reviews.
- • Coordinate calibration activities and software releases for vehicle systems.
- • Drive design changes to meet performance, cost, weight, and timing targets.
- • Oversee design and analysis of vehicle systems in aerodynamics, powertrain, chassis, safety, and diagnostics.
- • Plan and direct system-level testing and verification and validation.
- • Coordinate design of control strategies for energy, emissions, and safety performance.
- • Lead trade studies and create design alternatives to improve efficiency and performance.
- • Ensure designs consider recyclability and use of sustainable materials.
- • Champion use of lightweight materials to meet fuel economy or range targets.
- • Develop and manage specifications for vehicles using alternative fuels or powertrains.
- • Plan integration of telematics, intelligent transportation systems, and automation features.
- • Drive implementation of green technologies, including hybrid and electric vehicles and efficiency improvements.
- • Establish production readiness criteria and quality control acceptance plans.
- • Monitor supplier deliverables, APQP and PPAP, and compliance with specifications.
- • Ensure compliance with safety, regulatory, and industry standards.
- • Oversee modeling and simulation for algorithm and control feature verification.
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Advanced Manufacturing
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
