RePower Program Systems Engineering Product Specialist

Cummins•Troy, MI

6h•Onsite

About The Position

The RePower Program is a return-to-work initiative designed for experienced professionals who have taken a career break of two or more years. This six-month, paid opportunity with benefits supports participants with meaningful project work, dedicated mentoring, training, and professional development to help them transition back into the workforce. Participants will contribute to impactful projects leveraging their skills and experience. Successful participants may be considered for full-time employment at the conclusion of the program. This specific role is for a Systems Engineering Product Specialist within the Engineering department, focusing on steering, braking, and drivetrain systems. The role involves leading the front end of innovation for advanced mechanical, mechatronic, sensing, actuation, and system technologies, identifying customer and market opportunities, converting ideas into viable concepts, defining system-level architectures and requirements, and advancing early-stage projects through the Innovation-to-Concept (I2C) process. The engineer will collaborate with Product Line Management and cross-functional teams to translate needs into technical requirements, manage documentation in Polarion, conduct competitive benchmarking, market and patent research, concept development, prototype and test planning, test execution, and engineering program management for I2C projects. Success requires strong systems thinking, technical capability, disciplined project execution, and effective communication with leadership.

Requirements

At least five years of prior work experience.
A career break of two or more years.
Experienced Systems Engineer for steering, braking, and drivetrain systems.
Strong systems thinking.
Hands-on technical capability.
Disciplined project execution.
Ability to communicate complex technical and business recommendations to approval committees and senior leadership.

Responsibilities

Lead Innovation from Concept to Approval: Drive advanced engineering projects through the Innovation-to-Concept (I2C) process, transforming new ideas into validated business opportunities and securing leadership approval for future product investments.
Develop Next-Generation Vehicle Solutions: Lead the ideation, evaluation, and development of innovative steering, braking, drivetrain, and mechatronic system concepts that deliver customer value and competitive differentiation.
Manage Complex Cross-Functional Programs: Coordinate engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, validation, finance, suppliers, and Product Line Management teams to ensure project objectives, timelines, and deliverables are achieved.
Shape System Architecture and Product Strategy: Define system architectures, functional requirements, interfaces, operating scenarios, and proof-of-concept approaches that establish the foundation for future product development.
Translate Market Needs into Engineering Requirements: Partner with stakeholders to convert customer needs, market trends, regulatory expectations, and competitive insights into clear, measurable, and traceable product requirements.
Drive Data-Driven Technical Decisions: Lead concept selection, feasibility studies, risk assessments, trade studies, and engineering analyses to identify the most effective and scalable technical solutions.
Advance Technology Through Research and Benchmarking: Conduct market, competitive, patent, and technology research to identify emerging opportunities, mitigate risks, and guide innovation strategies and intellectual property development.
Validate Concepts Through Testing and Analysis: Develop and execute benchmarking, simulation, laboratory, subsystem, and vehicle-level testing strategies, using data-driven insights to validate performance, resolve issues, and support informed engineering decisions.