Hardware Architecture Manager

The Hardware Architecture Manager leads the global department that defines early underbody architecture, focusing on suspension, steering, brakes, and wheels/tires.

You will lead chassis architecture from program start through the early UNVx milestones of GPDS, integrating all chassis commodities with frames/subframes, body structure, driveline, and propulsion across every global vehicle platform.

Responsibilities

Strategic Accountabilities

• Own the multi-year underbody architecture roadmap, including common interfaces, scalable building blocks, and design rules that reduce variation and complexity across global platforms.
• Translate vehicle strategy, cycle plans, and technology vectors into architecture decisions, investment priorities, and resource plans, ensuring a 5–10 year view shapes near-term program choices.
• Partner with Vehicle Architecture, Vehicle Engineering, Program Leadership, and Underbody Systems leadership to negotiate trade-offs among cost, weight, timing, performance, and complexity.
• Serve as the Underbody Systems point of contact for Vehicle Planning and Programs on hardware definition, weight, tool/facility investment, engineering headcount, and GPDS milestone alignment.
• Lead architectural milestone reviews, health charts, design-rule adherence, and sourcing package definition with Supply Chain and downstream underbody engineering.
• Benchmark competitors and bridge Research & Advanced Engineering to industrialization of chassis tech vectors, partnering with Technical Experts.

Transformation Leadership

• Champion “Engineer as Designer,” strengthening CATIA/3DX, CAE, and ADAMS MBD proficiency.
• Implement an internal Build-to-Print strategy for key chassis commodities, growing engineering expertise as required.
• Lead the shift to AI-augmented engineering to improve quality, cost, and speed.
• Grow analytical capability and depth in early program phases.

Team Leadership

Lead and develop a global team of supervisors and product design engineers across US, European, Australian PD centers, deploying resources against shifting cycle plans and providing oversight to the broader global chassis organization.

Qualifications

You'll Have...

• B.S. in Mechanical, Automotive, or Aerospace Engineering required; M.S. or MBA preferred.
• 10+ years in automotive chassis product development and systems engineering, including early-phase architecture.
• Proven record of setting long-range technical direction, influencing senior leaders without direct authority, and aligning multiple teams on complex trade-offs.
• Deep chassis expertise; working knowledge of modular architecture, CATIA/3DX, component FEA, and MBD/ADAMS systems modeling, Agentic & Generative AI.
• Experience leading and developing leaders in a global organization, with accountability for cost, timing, and talent.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare 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.