Associate Director, Vehicle Engineering

BraunAbility•Carmel, IN

About The Position

The Associate Director, Vehicle Systems Engineering leads the engineering teams responsible for the design, integration, validation, and production readiness of vehicle systems across our Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) portfolio. This leadership role drives system architecture decisions, ensures robust requirements flow-down, and champions quality and manufacturability through the entire lifecycle—concept, design, validation, launch, and continuous improvement—while operating within our Agile/Stage Gate/APQP governance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Automotive/Vehicle Engineering or related field.
8+ years of progressive related work experience in vehicle systems engineering, with 5+ years leading teams in a matrix environment.
Demonstrated proficiency in systems engineering practices (requirements, V&V), CAD/parametric modeling, and EBOM/assembly structures; strong grounding in GD&T and tolerance stacks.
Hands-on experience with DFMEA/PFMEA, APQP/Stage Gate, and data-driven problem solving; familiarity with Six Sigma toolsets.
Proven track record delivering complex vehicle systems from concept through launch, including manufacturability and supplier readiness.
Demonstrated proficiency in CAD (Inventor), PLM (Teamcenter), ERP (EPICOR), and JIRA.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering or related discipline; relevant professional certifications (e.g., Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, PMP for program interface).
Experience in WAV or specialty vehicle conversions and integration at the system level.
Experience in Agile Program Management methodologies including modular sub-system design and development.
Strategic thinker who can translate business objectives into clear technical roadmaps and talent plans.
Strong communicator and collaborator, effective across engineering, operations, and supplier networks.
Coach/mentor who builds capability and empowers chief engineers and specialists to own technical decisions at the right level.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop managers, chief engineers, and multi-disciplinary engineering teams working on core vehicle systems (e.g., ramp & kneel mechanisms, suspensions, exhaust, fuel, and closures/door & liftgate systems).
Establish clear goals, performance standards, and growth plans within a matrix organization.
Set technical direction and governance for systems engineering (requirements, interfaces, trade studies, V&V), ensuring decisions are made at the appropriate leadership level—directors lead and enable experts rather than serve as the sole SME.
Foster a culture of mentoring, lessons-learned capture, and best-practice handbooks to elevate engineering quality and repeatability.
Own vehicle-system deliverables across the Agile/Stage Gate/APQP process, aligning engineering plans with program timing, risk mitigation, and cross-functional dependencies (Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, PMO).
Ensure readiness for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/A), supplier formability, and robust change control throughout development and launch.
Drive portfolio visibility via metrics and dashboards (quality, schedule adherence, piece-cost and investment vs. targets), and escalate/resolve risks and issues quickly.
Lead system architecture, EBOM structure, and tolerance management; ensure designs meet dimensional stability requirements and integrate cleanly across subsystems.
Oversee physical testing and/or FEA plans to verify system performance; ensure test data drives design decisions and sign-offs.
Uphold rigorous quality processes and regulatory compliance for the WAV portfolio, partnering with QA and regulatory stakeholders.
Partner closely with Program Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, and Operations to enable smooth launches and sustained product performance.
Interface with supplier engineering teams to align specifications, validation evidence, and PPAP deliverables.