Benchmarking & Cost Efficiency Engineer

Ford Motor • Dearborn, MI

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Paint Engineering is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Paint Benchmarking & Cost Optimization Engineer to join our team. This role is focused on driving continuous improvement across our Paint operations through rigorous benchmarking of quality, facility performance, and cost structures. The successful candidate will bring strong technical knowledge of automotive paint processes and facilities, financial literacy, and the ability to translate data-driven insights into actionable cost optimization recommendations for engineering and manufacturing teams. This position will require significant travel to benchmark facilities, gather competitive and internal performance data, and collaborate directly with plant and engineering teams to identify opportunities for quality improvement and cost efficiency.

Requirements

• 4-Year Engineering Degree, OR a minimum of 3 years of Automotive Paint experience or related experience.
• Strong understanding of Automotive Paint Process & Facilities.
• Demonstrated financial literacy, with the ability to interpret cost data and build sound business cases.
• Experience or strong aptitude in using AI tools to support data analysis and decision making.
• Strong presentation preparation skills, with the ability to translate technical and financial data into clear, actionable insights.
• Demonstrated focus on cost efficiency and continuous improvement.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 50% of the time.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct benchmarking studies on Paint quality, facility performance, and process cost across internal plants and external/industry comparisons.
• Analyze facility and process data to identify cost optimization opportunities within Paint operations.
• Apply a strong understanding of Automotive Paint Process & Facilities to evaluate current-state performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Leverage AI tools and data analytics platforms to accelerate benchmarking analysis, uncover trends, and support decision-making.
• Support Capital Efficient Cost initiatives by identifying facility and process improvements that reduce capital and operating expense without compromising quality.
• Apply financial literacy to evaluate cost/benefit tradeoffs, build business cases, and support investment decisions tied to benchmarking findings.
• Prepare clear, data-driven presentations and reports summarizing benchmarking results, cost optimization opportunities, and recommendations for engineering and manufacturing leadership.
• Travel to plants and supplier/benchmark sites (approximately 50% of the time) to gather firsthand data, validate findings, and build cross-functional relationships.
• Collaborate with Paint Facility Design, Paint Automation, and Paint Facility Simulation teams to ensure benchmarking insights are incorporated into future facility planning.
• Track and report on cost optimization initiatives over time, ensuring sustained improvement and accountability for results.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level