Senior Calibration Assistant - Vehicle Dynamics and Chassis Controls Calibration

GM•Milford, MI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Vehicle Dynamics & Chassis Controls Senior Calibration Assistant supports the development, execution, and delivery of chassis controls and vehicle dynamics calibrations across multiple vehicle programs. This role focuses on hands‑on vehicle and bench work, test execution, data collection, and first‑level analysis in support of calibration engineers, Feature Strategists, and Calibration Technical Specialists. You will work closely with the VDSE, VMC, ITBC, and DMC calibration teams to ensure vehicles, benches, and virtual tools are prepared, tests are run efficiently and safely, and data is organized and ready for engineering decisions. This is an excellent role for someone who enjoys being close to the hardware and the vehicle, wants to deepen their understanding of vehicle dynamics and chassis controls.

Requirements

Associate degree in Automotive Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical/Electronic Technology, or related field OR equivalent hands‑on experience in vehicle testing, diagnostics, or calibration support.
Demonstrated experience working with vehicles, instrumentation, or test environments (e.g., garage, proving ground, HIL, dyno, or similar).
Basic understanding of vehicle dynamics and chassis systems (braking, stability control, traction control, suspension, steering, or related).
Comfort using PC‑based tools for data logging, basic analysis (Excel, plotting tools), and software/calibration download utilities.
Strong attention to detail and organization, particularly around configuration control, version tracking, and documentation.
Ability to follow detailed test procedures and safety guidelines and to recognize when to stop and escalate issues.
Effective communication skills and the ability to work in a fast‑paced, cross‑functional development environment.
Willingness and ability to travel and work flexible hours when required by test schedules.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Automotive Engineering (or related discipline).
Hands‑on experience with chassis controls or vehicle dynamics testing, such as ABS/ESC/TCS, VDSE, ride/handling, or similar.
Familiarity with GM calibration and software tools (e.g., CRETA/CalPortal, SPR/VeSCoM/JIRA, Cal Planner, CAN/Ethernet logging tools).
Experience with HIL/SIL environments or simulation‑based testing for vehicle dynamics or chassis controls.
Prior involvement in winter testing or low‑mu surface development work.
Basic scripting or automation skills (e.g., MATLAB, Python, or similar) for data processing or test support.

Responsibilities

Prepare and maintain development vehicles for chassis controls and vehicle dynamics work, including software updates, calibration loads, and basic instrumentation.
Coordinate with garages, labs, and proving grounds to schedule vehicles, shop time, and instrumentation for development, validation, and winter testing.
Execute directed test plans (on‑road, proving ground, winter test sites, and bench/HIL) under the guidance of calibration engineers and calibration TSs.
Operate data acquisition and logging tools (e.g., VD/Chassis loggers, CAN/Ethernet tools, IMU/WSS data capture) and ensure high‑quality datasets for analysis.
Support bench and HIL/SIL test execution, including loading software/calibrations, configuring scenarios, and monitoring runs.
Load and manage calibration and software content on vehicles and benches using standard toolchains (e.g., CRETA/CalPortal, SPR/VeSCoM flows, JIRA‑driven patches), following established release and traceability processes.
Maintain accurate records of calibration sets, software versions, and hardware configurations for each vehicle/bench used in testing.
Perform basic calibration adjustments and A/B comparisons under engineering direction (e.g., simple parameter sweeps, patch evaluation) and document outcomes.
Post‑process and organize test data (time histories, objective metrics, driver feedback) into formats usable by calibration and performance engineers.
Create concise test summaries (conditions, configurations, key observations, anomalies) and share with responsible engineers and Feature Strategists.
Assist in reproducing and documenting issues/PRTS, collecting necessary logs, screenshots, and configuration details to support root‑cause analysis.
Lead day‑to‑day readiness for assigned vehicles/benches, including basic diagnostics, fault clearing when appropriate, and coordination for repairs or hardware changes.
Coordinate instrumentation installs and removals (e.g., wheel force transducers, additional sensors, brake pressure, ride height, etc.) with internal or supplier teams as needed.
Support trip planning and logistics for development work (e.g., winter test trips), including vehicle prep, parts/tools lists, and load‑in/load‑out.
Work closely with Calibration Engineers, Feature Strategists, Calibration TS, HIL/SIL teams, and Performance Engineers to ensure smooth execution of plans and quick feedback loops.
Provide feedback on procedures, checklists, and tools to improve efficiency, repeatability, and safety in calibration execution.
Support the team’s calibration modernization efforts by helping exercise virtual methods, automation scripts, and standardized test procedures.