Assistant Manager, Sales Engineering

Yamaha Corporation•Dearborn Heights, MI

7d•Remote

About The Position

Yamaha Fine Technologies is an automotive supplier manufacturing real material interior trims for the automotive sector. The team located in the U.S. works with internal & external stakeholders for developing interior trims and creating value by managing customers’ relationships in North America. Provide effective technical and design proposals to improve customer satisfaction and win new programs and new business. This is a remote position based in Detroit, MI.

Requirements

Strong technical background in product design, manufacturing processes, and feasibility analysis
Proven ability to coordinate cross‑functional teams across engineering, production, quality, and materials
Experience managing multiple programs, timelines, and customer deliverables simultaneously
Effective communication and negotiation skills with customers, suppliers, and stakeholders
Travel up to 50%, including international travel

Nice To Haves

Experience providing technical leadership or mentoring within an engineering team
Experience in the automotive industry, particularly supporting OEM customers
Knowledge of plastic injection molding and related manufacturing processes
Background working with multi-region teams, international customers, or programs involving cross-border engineering collaboration
Familiarity with automotive product launch and quality processes (e.g., APQP, PPAP, DV/PV)
Demonstrated ability to support customer‑facing engineering discussions and negotiations
Live in the Detroit metropolitan area

Responsibilities

Lead sales engineering activities to ensure accurate, timely, and high‑quality technical support to customers across multiple programs.
Ensure customer requirements are fully understood and translated into feasible designs
Manage product development timelines and technical deliverables
Drive effective technical communication with customers and internal stakeholders
Ensure material and validation compliance to support production readiness
Support customer satisfaction through quality and issue resolution
Contribute to technology development, team capability, and continuous improvement
Manage multiple program timelines, ensuring on‑time customer approvals for tools, designs, prototypes, and validation milestones.
Work closely with customers, Japan team, production, materials, and quality teams to ensure clear understanding of requirements and feasible, manufacturable solutions.
Provide technical input, feasibility assessment, and solution development to support new customer opportunities and future programs.
Prepare and manage quality deliverables (PPAP, APQP, AAR, FTN) and support investigation and resolution of quality events with customers and internal teams.
Support benchmarking of competitor technologies and communicate emerging engineering concepts and capabilities to customers and YCJ.
Serve as a subject‑matter expert in manufacturing processes, materials, and design principles, while training and mentoring junior sales engineers.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Vision, Dental, LTD, Life-Insurance and 401k with match AND automatic contributions
Performance based bonus program
Robust employee wellness programs including free music lessons
Generous Wellness reimbursement program
Tobacco cessation reward program
Private concerts from award winning artists
Discounted hotel, travel, entertainment, and other attractions
Employee product purchase program
Casual dress
Vacation, sick-time and personal floating holidays
Monthly events, for example -- Bring Your Dog to Work Day, Employee Singing Competitions, Spirit Week and other fun events
Inclusive and passionate culture
We foster a culture in which everyone feels welcomed, included, and valued; and recognize that diversity contributes to the success of Yamaha