Lead Engineer

Lead Engineer
Elmdon, Birmingham

Main purpose of the job:

• Lead the Engineering Team by example.
• Represent IAC as primary contact for Product/System Design Engineering.
• Determine and deliver the most appropriate design and engineering solution.
• Ensure that all Product/System safety & performance attribute targets are met, right first time.
• Steer the engineering design activity ensuring most appropriate application of both direct and contract design resources are used.
• Collate and present data to support decision making.
• Ensure delivery of all IAC internal & customer requirements in line with programme timing.
• Liaise with tooling and manufacturing specialists to ensure that the product design is feasible and repeatable for the vehicle life.
• In the absence of doubt, take responsibility
• Work hand in hand with Programme and Business Manager
• Primary deliverables: Cost, Timing, Quality, Robustness, Sustainability, Repeatability

Main missions and results:

• Lead the design and product engineering Team
• Customer/Supplier/Manufacturing Plant liaison.
• Ensures that the engineering team drive the following activities:
• Design according customer aesthetics, technical requirements, and specifications.
• Design for assembly.
• Design for manufacture.
• Quality functional deployment.
• Finite element analysis data.
• Dimensional variation analysis (In conjunction with DVA specialist).
• Support Tool Timing in conjunction with the tooling group.
• Responsible for the engineering elements of customer part approval (PPAP).
• Support all tool trials & tool sign off
• Determine and apply the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions.
• Provide for design resolution as an extension of and in cooperation with the customer engineering team.
• Assures a flawless introduction for New Product Introduction (NPI) position as defined in IAC’s GDLS.
• Support cost estimates in relation to product and process changes, and liaise with Operations, sales, PM to ensure all recoverable costs are specified in the quotation.
• Customer liaison & management
• Support VAVE activities
• Ensuring together with development team (PM, design, tooling, quality, testing, launch, purchasing, sales) that the process is robust prior to tool shipment.
  

Preferred skills and experience:

• Bachelor and/or Diploma degree in automotive, plastics engineering, mechanical engineering or equivalent job-related experience
• Substantial experience within interior system delivery.
• Working knowledge of materials and manufacturing technologies to deliver lightweight and sustainable design solutions.
• Cradle to grave project experience including process and tool maturation and program launch.
• Experience in surface development.
• Conversant with major CAD systems applicable to automotive design.
• Demonstrated excellent management and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of company product and manufacturing processes.
• Working knowledge of job-related technical skills: GD&T, DFM, DFA, CAE/FEA, CAD, FMEA, DVP&R.
• Fluent English
• Flexible to support projects at various locations.