Assistant Chief Engineer-SUV

Slate Auto

About The Position

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them. Slate is looking for a dynamic and experienced Assistant Chief Engineer, SUV Kit to serve as the senior technical leader responsible for delivering the SUV Kit system to production. The SUV Kit is a customer-installed accessory that converts the Slate truck into a fully capable SUV, integrating a bolt-in roll cage structure with airbags and restraints, a rear seat and interior trim package, and a removable modular exterior roof system. Component-level engineers are assigned and working across all systems. This role is not about managing individual parts—it is about owning the full technical solution. That means accountability for functional requirements, system-level integration, and delivery against cost, weight, and investment targets as the program moves from final sourcing into launch. The ideal candidate is a decisive technical leader with deep launch experience who can hold the system together under the pressure of a compressed timeline and a first-of-its-kind product.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related field is required.
10+ years of automotive engineering experience, including system-level ownership or technical leadership through production launch.
Demonstrated experience as a system integrator on a complex vehicle program—someone who has held accountability for making subsystems work together, not just managing individual components.
Proven track record of delivering programs against cost, weight, and investment targets in a launch environment.
Strong launch execution instincts: experience driving DVP&R completion, supplier readiness, and engineering sign-off under compressed timing.
Technical depth in one or more of the SUV Kit domains (exterior body systems, seating and interiors, or body structure) with the breadth to lead across all of them.
Experience with tools such as DFMEA, DVP&R, GD&T, Design for Manufacturing, and structured problem-solving methodologies (8D, A3, root cause analysis).
Broad vehicle development process knowledge, including how to set technical targets, assess feasibility, and validate to statistical confidence.
Knowledge of applicable automotive regulatory standards (FMVSS, SAE, ISO) relevant to vehicle conversion and occupant safety systems.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams and suppliers through technical tradeoffs and drive decisions with attention to both detail and the bigger picture.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across functions and present clearly to senior leadership.
Highly adaptable and proactive, with demonstrated ability to thrive in fast-paced start-up and new model launch environments.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree is preferred.
Familiarity with CATIA and PLM systems (Windchill or equivalent) is preferred.

Responsibilities

Own the full SUV Kit technical solution—system requirements, interface definitions, and performance targets—and be accountable for delivering them at cost, weight, and investment.
Drive system-level integration across the exterior roof, rear seating, interior trim, roll cage structure, and restraint systems, ensuring all subsystem deliverables converge into a coherent, validated whole.
Lead sourcing completion activities for open commodities, including technical alignment with suppliers, design-for-manufacturability review, and readiness confirmation against program milestones.
Manage engineering deliverables across internal teams and Tier 1 suppliers through production launch, including DFMEA and DVP&R completion, validation execution, and engineering change disposition.
Own program risk at the system level—identify integration issues, cross-system conflicts, and launch readiness gaps early, and drive resolution with urgency.
Lead gateway readiness assessments, executive reviews, and cross-functional technical alignment meetings for the SUV Kit program.
Ensure regulatory compliance of the converted SUV configuration, including applicable FMVSS coverage mapping, homologation inputs, and sign-off documentation.
Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering to confirm design-for-assembly and design-for-manufacturing readiness across all kit systems ahead of production.
Partner with the Accessories team on the customer installation experience—ensuring the SUV Kit can be installed by a motivated customer with basic tools, supported by Slate University content and the RepairPal certified installer network.
Coordinate with Quality, Service, and Warranty teams on launch preparation, including field issue response processes and corrective action planning.
Represent the SUV Kit program in senior leadership reviews and cross-functional forums as the technical authority for the system.