Development & Validation Engineer

GM • Warren, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This Development & Validation Engineer is the technical lead for TRP-related physical testing and Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) detection within the RESS Development & Validation organization. The role owns planning and execution of TRP lab activities and ensures that results are tightly linked to the DFMEA, enabling risk-based prioritization for propulsion programs. Roughly 70% of the role is hands-on technical execution in the lab and with hardware, and 30% is strategy, leadership, and cross-functional coordination across Global Virtual Engineering (GVE), GPDV, safety, and program teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• Minimum 2+ years relevant experience
• Demonstrated hands-on experience planning and executing complex lab tests (preferably thermal or abuse testing) with strong attention to safety.
• Working knowledge of DFMEA or similar risk-assessment tools, with experience linking test plans to failure modes.
• Proven ability to interpret complex test data, identify root causes, and communicate technical conclusions clearly in writing and verbally.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with TRP, battery safety, or high-energy systems testing (e.g., thermal runaway, abuse, containment, venting).
• Prior ownership of DFMEAs or similar tools for safety-critical systems, including experience with S/O/D scoring and risk-based prioritization.
• Familiarity with GVDP/GPDP and propulsion program execution (scorecards, PRTS, gate deliverables).
• Experience working cross-functionally with GVE, safety, program management, and suppliers.
• Demonstrated capability to influence without authority and drive alignment across multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed TRP test plans and procedures covering cell, module, and pack levels, aligned to program timing and safety requirements.
• Lead day-to-day execution of TRP tests in the lab: hardware readiness, test setup, instrumentation, and on-the-floor issue resolution.
• Ensure test configurations accurately represent design intent, including hardware deviations and associated rationale.
• Drive high-quality data collection, repeatability, and documentation; author clear test reports and technical summaries.
• Partner with safety, design, and systems teams to interpret TRP results, identify failure mechanisms, and define design/test countermeasures.
• Act as the TRP physical “detection owner” for relevant DFMEA line items: ensure every significant TRP failure mode has a defined and appropriate physical detection method.
• Use DFMEA scoring (S/O/D and resulting risk rankings) as a prioritization tool —to sort and cluster work—rather than as an “absolute grade” to optimize.
• Regularly review DFMEA rankings with GVE/GPDV partners to decide which TRP tests to run next, which analyses are most valuable, and where method improvements are needed.
• Serve as the primary TRP physical voice in the Thermal/TRP workgroup: present status, gaps, and recommendations, and ensure actions are captured and owned.
• Coordinate closely with virtual (GVE) teams to align TRP tests with modeling assumptions, correlations, and capability gaps.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of TRP methods, fixtures, instrumentation, and standard work.

Benefits

• From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

What This Job Offers

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