Mechanical Engineering Manager – Automotive Design

The Mechanical Engineering Manager – Automotive Design leads a team of engineers responsible for the end-to-end design and development of mechanical systems and components for automotive applications. This includes body structures, chassis, closures, HVAC, powertrain mounts, brackets, and interior mechanisms. The role requires strong technical leadership, cross-functional coordination, and the ability to guide the team from concept through production launch while meeting cost, performance, and quality targets.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Engineering Leadership

• Lead the mechanical design and development of automotive subsystems from concept to production.

• Oversee design reviews, tolerance stack-ups, GD&T application, and engineering release processes.

• Ensure that engineering solutions meet all functional, durability, packaging, safety, and regulatory requirements.

2. Team & Project Management

• Manage a multidisciplinary team of mechanical design engineers across multiple subsystems.

• Allocate resources, set priorities, and monitor team performance against program milestones.

• Provide mentorship, training, and technical direction to engineering staff.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with vehicle architecture, electrical, manufacturing, procurement, and program management teams.

• Ensure DFM/DFA principles are applied in all designs and interface well with production constraints.

• Support virtual builds, packaging studies, and physical prototypes during product development.

4. Design Validation & Problem Solving

• Define and review DVP&R plans for each subsystem.

• Lead root cause analysis of mechanical design issues and implement robust corrective actions.

• Drive lessons learned and design standardization across programs.

5. Quality, Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure adherence to internal design standards, industry norms, and regulatory requirements.

• Approve design releases in PLM systems and maintain proper engineering documentation and BOM integrity.

Key Focus Areas:

• Mechanical System Design & Architecture
  (Body-in-white, closures, chassis, HVAC components, brackets, mounts)

• Automotive Product Development Lifecycle
  (Concept, packaging, design freeze, validation, launch)

• Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DFM/DFA)
  (Cost-effective, scalable, and robust designs)

• Integration with Vehicle Systems
  (Cross-domain collaboration, interface definition)

• Team Management & Technical Mentoring
  (Performance development, skill building, workload balancing)

• Design Validation & Quality Control
  (DVP&R planning, issue resolution, CAE collaboration)

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering.

• 10+ years of mechanical design experience in the automotive industry, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role.

• Deep understanding of design principles for mechanical and structural systems in vehicles.

• Proficiency with CAD tools (CATIA, NX, or similar) and PLM systems (Teamcenter, Windchill).

• Strong communication, decision-making, and organizational skills.

Preferred Experience:

• Background in vehicle platform development (ICE, hybrid, or EV)

• Knowledge of lightweight materials and joining methods (e.g., aluminum, composites, adhesives)

• Familiarity with GD&T, FMEA, tolerance stack-up, and CAE analysis

• Hands-on experience with prototype build phases and validation testing