Job Title:    Design Engineer + Program Manager   

Division:    Automotive

Location:    Guanajuato, Mexico

Reports To:     Director of Automotive Sales and Engineering

Prepared Date:    November 2nd, 2023

FLSA Status:    Exempt

Summary

Become the product owner through Design, Development, and Validation of Stainless-Steel Bellows (dynamic couplings in gas/fluid systems) for the Automotive market segments. Work locally and globally in an innovative environment using both empirical and analytic methods to design, validate and verify product durability using customer and internal requirements. Formulate reports and communicate results to technical and non-technical persons.

In addition; this role will be responsible for the planning, execution, monitoring, controlling, and close out of assigned proposals, development, and production programs. This position will be responsible for the achievement of customer and internal business case objectives by working across all the business functions to formulate both strategic vision and tactical direction for the assigned programs and projects.

Essential Functions:

(Primary) Product Design:

• Lead and collaborate cross functionally with engineering, program management, quality, and manufacturing to lead NPD/NPI projects from conception through production launch, while using ABI’s Product Development Process.
• Identify opportunities for new and/or improvements to existing technologies, tools, or processes
• Lead and collaborate with Tier 1 / OEM’s to determine necessity and/or feasibility of integrating a Flex Joint to satisfy internal and external DVP&R requirements including but not limited to corrosion, movement capabilities, full system response (low and high frequency), thermal boundary requirements, gas flow constraints, and fatigue life.
• Lead and participate in cross-functional design reviews for new (initial release) and change requests.
• Responsible for accurate bill of materials (BOM) for all initial releases and design changes (ECR).
• Support APQP teams with prototype and development drawings for quotations and other new business opportunities using best engineering judgement and analysis through fatigue and motion theory.
• Create complete, accurate 2D drawing sets and BOMs with proper GD&T, tolerance stack-up, and compliance to global standards.
• Organize the exchange of 3d models and 2D drawing to/from customers and vendors to insure utilization of latest design revision. Ensure that 2D drawings and 3D CAD models requested by customer engineering comply with all requirements.
• Review, interpret, and react to customer data to drive product development progression.
• Prepare written documents such as standard operating procedures, memos, reports, and technical knowledge transfer documentation.
• Negotiate and mediate best GD&T solution internally with quality and manufacturing and/or externally with suppliers for functionality and economical manufacturability.
• Gatekeeper and local manager of EPDM database containing all CAD drawings.

(Secondary) Program Manager:

• Manage the overall customer and business case performance of the program portfolio with responsibility and accountability for success to time, cost and quality constraints
• Lead the team to create program plan, schedule, work breakdown structure, budget, and risk mitigation plan from which functional execution plans are developed
• Responsible for ensuring all development programs are adequately planned at a business and functional level to deliver on business case and customer contract objectives
• Knowledge of core planning elements such as requirements planning, deliverables definition, milestone definition, risk management, resource management, and critical path scheduling are key
• Lead the program team through the monitoring and control phase of program execution using robust management operating systems and integrated cross functional teaming approaches
• Responsible for ensuring scope, schedule, and cost baseline change controls
• Develop, maintain, and manage internal performance scorecards for development and production programs
• Lead program team through the new product introduction phase of programs to ensure successful transition to production and customer services
• Utilize a gated control and approval process for the product life-cycle
• Responsible for customer scorecard performance and the associated internal performance measures
• Work across the functions to identify and plan activities required to continuously improve upon performance variances from business case objectives
• Manage through the program team for all “get to green” or “recovery” efforts on scorecard variances
• Provide leadership in the creation and maintenance of robust customer and subcontractor relationships & management
• Lead and facilitate customer interfacing on development and production/sustainment programs

Qualifications:

Required

• Expert English speaker
• Four-year Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Technology from an accredited college or university required
• High level of critical thinking in new and innovative areas.
• Ability to identify gaps in processes/products with the drive to absorb and drive innovation to completion.
• Must be self-motivated and self-lead, requiring little to no supervision and generate accurate results while working in a team environment.
• Innovation and technical leadership combined with exceptional sense for detail, accuracy and organization.
• Should be comfortable to confidently speak to large technically trained audiences (fellow engineers) and non-technically trained audiences alike.
• Sound engineering education and experience reflecting enthusiasm to design and develop state-of-the-art products utilizing CAD and CAE systems.
• Excellent communication skills in terms of collaborating with sales, manufacturing, domestic and third-party suppliers and customers.
• Ability to travel to customer locations within and outside of the USA to deliver technical presentations.

Additional Skills:

• 2-3 years’ experience in SolidWorks – automated/parametric 3D and 2D drawing creation for manufacture preferred.
• Understanding of FMEA, DVP&R, PPAP, Design for Manufacturability, GD&T, tolerance stack analysis
• General knowledge of welding and metal forming processes.
• Working knowledge and understanding of metal fatigue, NVH concepts and vehicle powertrain a plus.
• Working knowledge of document control in Enterprise PDM and/or SAP is a plus.
• Working knowledge of statistical failure analysis, a plus.
• Experience with time based and frequency-based vibration phenomena.
• Demonstrated leadership capability and the ability to affect organizational change in challenging environments
• Must be adept at achieving results through multiple organizational functions without direct authority and through influence and negotiation
• A demonstrated capability to think strategically and execute tactically
• The successful candidate must be an integrative thinker with a strong foundation in data driven problem solving
• A demonstrated depth and breadth in business acumen across the major functional disciplines including Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Contracts, Business Development, Marketing, and Sales
• Demonstrated ability to create management operating systems
• Demonstrated communication skills, both written and verbal, at all levels of the organization
• Must be skilled in building customer and subcontractor relationships while balancing strategic objectives
• Formal and informal negotiation experience
• Experience with New Production Introduction (NPI) using an Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process

POSITION SUMMARY:

Quality Managers will oversee the quality programs of the assigned facility to ensure goals and objectives are achieved. Implementing and maintaining a system of quality and reliability testing for the organization’s products and/or development processes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Plans and organizes daily activities related to quality.
• Implements and manages processes to ensure that products meet required specifications for quality, function, and reliability prior to delivery.
• Coordinates product testing processes.
• Participates in product testing.
• Identifies and analyzes issues, defects, and other problems, particularly when problems recur; recommends and facilitates solutions to these issues.
• Performs other related duties as required.
• Foreign Travel may be required for training purposes.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES):

• Good problem solving abilities.
• Can troubleshoot issues and determine the cause of a plan’s success or failure.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Extensive knowledge of products and operations, specifically in commercial or industrial tires.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• B.S. degree in Business or related experience.
• Three to five years of relevant work experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, English required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee the employee is required to stand, walk, sit; and reach with hands and arms, access and navigate the facility. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

NOTE:

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.